The experience and adjustment of children who witness wife assault

Abstract

The present study compared the experience of battered women and their children with that of a comparison sample, who had not experienced wife assault. The wife assault sample included 21 women and 16 children aged 8-17 years. The comparison sample included 38 women and 37 children aged 7-13 years. Battered women were interviewed about their and their children's experience of violence. Women in both samples completed the Abusive Behavior Inventory, Life Experiences Survey, Affectometer 2, and the Rutter Child Scale A and a demographic questionnaire. Children in both samples completed the Children's Depression Inventory, Burt Word Reading Test, and an interview about attitudes and responses to violence. Children of battered women gave additional information about their experiences of violence. Battered women indicated that 94% of children had witnessed wife assault during the past 2 years and that 61% had been physically abused. According to maternal reports 56% of children had physically tried to stop the violent partner from hurting their mother. In 71% of cases the violent partner was children's father or stepfather. The wife assault sample reported significantly lower wellbeing, higher number of life changes, and greater family and child disadvantage than the comparison sample. There was no significant difference between the samples on children's self reported depression. Battered women rated their children significantly higher on behavioural and emotional problems than comparison women. The results showed that 21% of child witnesses and 3% of comparison children had an estimated reading age two or more years below their chronological age. Child witnesses reported significantly more aggressive and fewer non-violent response options to interpersonal conflict than comparison children. Child witnesses had been in contact with a significantly greater number of community and government agencies than comparison children. The results were discussed in terms of their implications and their relationship to previous research findings on children of battered women.