Traumatic Events and Maternal Education as Predictors of Verbal Ability for Preschool Children Exposed to Intimate Partner Violence (IPV)

• NCJ Number: 230229
• Journal: Journal of Family Violence Volume: 25 Issue: 4 Dated: May 2010 Pages: 383-392
• Author(s): Sandra A. Graham-Bermann; Kathryn H. Howell; Laura E. Miller; Jean Kwek; Michelle M. Lilly
• Date Published: May 2010
• Length: 10 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study examined the effect of exposure to intimate partner violence on verbal ability in a sample of preschool children.

Abstract

Despite research on the effects of intimate partner violence (IPV) on children, little is known about its impact on cognitive development. In this study, 87 preschool-aged children and their mothers exposed to IPV within the last 2 years participated in interviews to ascertain verbal ability, history of violence, and exposure to trauma. When compared to a national sample of 1,700 same-age children not evaluated for exposure to traumatic events, children exposed to IPV scored significantly lower on verbal ability, as assessed with standardized measures. In order to understand variation in verbal ability, multiple regression models were tested. Both prior exposure to traumatic events and the level of mother's education were significant predictors of verbal ability. However, level of education mediated the relationship between traumatic events and the child's verbal ability. Table and references (Published Abstract)