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There have been studies that prove that children who witness domestic inter-parental violence experience mental health problems, issues with gender roles, substance abuse, the committing of crimes and suicide/suicide attempts later in their lives. This paper will explore all five of these “effects” of domestic violence on children and show that there is evidence of a clear relationship in which increasing parental violence is associated with increasing outcome risks (Fergusson & Horwood, 1998, p.8). When a child witnesses domestic abuse it can have many different effects on the child. From my research I found that one of the most common effects on the child were mental health problems. In one study, conducted in New Zealand, young people that reported high levels of exposure to inter-parental violence had elevated rates of mental health problems (Fergusson & Horwood, 1998, p.1). Some of the least severe mental health problems included anxiety, inability to focus, and nightmares (Brescoll & Graham-Bermann, 2000, p.2). But these problems, which appear to be less severe, can also be the symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (Brescoll & Graham-Bermann, 2000, p.2). In a study conducted in 2001 the results indicated that higher levels of symptoms indicative of post traumatic stress were associated with children who have witnessed domestic violence (Hill & Nabors & Reynolds & Wallace & Weist, 2001, p.1). “Children who have witnessed domestic violence are more likely to develop symptoms associated with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder; that is, high levels of anxiety, in ability to focus attention, nightmares, exaggerated startle responses, and excessive worries related to the violence” (Brescoll & Graham-Bermann, 2000, p.2). Another mental health problem that children who have witnessed domestic violence experience is adjustment problems. There appears to be a wide spread belief that children who witness violence between their parents are at a greater risk of later adjustment difficulties that may include behavior problems (Fergusson & Horwood, 1998, p.3). Young people reporting high levels of exposure to inter-parental violence had elevated rates of adjustment problems by age eighteen (Fergusson & Horwood, 1998, p.1). It is suggested that there are elevated rates of behavioral, emotional, and other problems in children exposed to inter-parental violence (Fergusson & Horwood, 1998, p.3). There seems little doubt that children reared in homes characterized by inter-parental violence were at greater risk of later adjustment difficulties as young adults (Fergusson & Horwood, 1998, p.11). It is quite apparent that there is a link between the witnessing of domestic violence and the mental health problems of the children who witness it. Another common effect on children who witness domestic violence is that they have severe gender role issues. Clearly, children exposed to the abuse of their mothers are at risk for learning deleterious patterns of social behavior and for developing distorted expectations about the appropriate roles of men and women in the family (Brescoll & Graham-Bermann, 2000, p.2). Therefore, children exposed to the abuse of their mothers are at risk for adopting and using sexist or patriarchal stereotypes about men, women, and the family (Brescoll & Graham-Bermann, 2000, p.2). The amount of physical and emotional abuse experienced by the mother is significantly related to how much the children believed in the inherent superiority and privilege of men in the family and also to how much children believed that violence was an acceptable and even necessary part of family interactions (Brescoll & Graham-Bermann, 2000, p.7). In this research it is clear to see that children who witness domestic violence learn to associate women, the abused, with being weak and powerless in the household and men, the abusers, with all the power and control. This distorted view of gender roles will most likely stay with the child through out adulthood. Substance abuse is another common effect found in children who witness domestic violence. Young people who reported high levels of exposure to domestic violence had elevated rates of substance abuse (Fergusson & Horwood, 1998, p.1). Substance abuse includes the use and abuse of nicotine, alcohol, cannabis and other chemical substances (Fergusson & Horwood, 1998, p.5). Substance abuse is more commonly found in young people who have witnessed mother initiated violence (Fergusson & Horwood, 1998, p.1). Substance abuse is also an effect in father initiated violence, but is more commonly found when the mother is the initiator (Fergusson & Horwood, 1998, p.1). Substance abuse is a difficult outcome to pinpoint on domestic abuse because substance abuse is also found in families that have no history of domestic violence. However, substance abuse is almost always found in studies of domestic violence has a side effect on the children who witness it when they reach young adulthood. Crime is a constant problem in society and it is also another common side effect of children who witness domestic abuse. There is a common belief in society that children who witness inter-parental violence are at a greater risk for aggressive behavior later on in life, which most often is an early sign of later problems with juvenile crime (Fergusson & Horwood, 1998, p.3). The children of batters have been found to exhibit more externalizing and internalizing behavior problems which often leads to criminal offending in young adulthood (Brescoll & Graham-Bermann, 2000, p.2). Another clear sign that a criminal lifestyle is inevitable is conduct disorder. Conduct disorder may be associated with witnessing domestic violence (Fergusson & Horwood, 1998, p.1). Exposure to domestic abuse has a strong correlation with children exhibiting conduct disorder which more often then not leads to criminal offending (Fergusson & Horwood, 1998, p.1). Another criminal offense that children of batters take place in is property crime (Fergusson & Horwood, 1998, p.1). Property crime includes vandalism, graffiti, etc. There is an apparent correlation with father initiated domestic violence and an increase in property crimes committed by the children who have witnessed the violence (Fergusson & Horwood, 1998, p.1). I am not saying that all people who commit crimes have witnessed domestic violence, just that there is obviously a strong relationship between the two. A child witnessing domestic violence may increase the risk of suicidal behavior has an adult (Anda & Chapman & Dube & Felitti & Giles & Williamson, 2001, p.1). There is an increasing recognition that domestic violence is a public health issue and that it is related to suicidal ideation in the children who witness it (Hill & Nabors & Reynolds & Wallace & Weist, 2001. p.2). These children who witness domestic abuse are also more likely to mutilate themselves (Anda & Chapman & Dube & Felitti & Giles & Williamson, 2001, p.9). Suicide is usually proceeded by anti social behavior. Children who witness violence between their parents are at a greater risk for developing anti social behaviors (Fergusson & Horwood, 1998, p.3), which in turn can lead to suicide or suicide attempts later in life. The immediacy of the stress and pain of witnessing domestic are experiences not easily escaped by children (Anda & Chapman & Dube & Felitti & Giles & Williamson, 2001, p.8). This makes suicide appear to be the only solution to a problem that they can not control (Anda & Chapman & Dube & Felitti & Giles & Williamson, 2001, p.8). The relationship between domestic violence and suicide attempts among adults demonstrates how these childhood exposures have a long-term impact on the risk of suicide attempts (Anda & Chapman & Dube & Felitti & Giles & Williamson, 2001, p.8). In conclusion, it is clearly shown that domestic violence has a negative effect on the children who witness it. An expanding body of research suggests that childhood trauma and adverse experiences can lead to a variety of negative health outcomes (Anda & Chapman & Dube & Felitti & Giles & Williamson, 2001, p.1). In fact, childhood stressors such as witnessing domestic violence and other household dysfunctions are highly interrelated and have a graded relationship to numerous health and social problems (Anda & Chapman & Dube & Felitti & Giles & Williamson, 2001, p.2). It is obvious and clearly shown that the children who witness domestic abuse have serious long term mental effects. Bibliography: Work Cited Anda. R.F., & Chapman, D.P., & Dube, S.R., & Felitti, V.J., & Giles, W.H., & Williamson, D.F. (2001). Childhood Abuse, Household Dysfunction, and the Risk of Attempted Suicide Throughout the Life Span: Findings from the Adverse Childhood Experiences Study. The Journal of the American Medical Association, 286, Retrieved February 10, 2002, from Expanded Academic ASAP database. Brescoll, V., & Graham, S.A. (2000). Gender Power and Violence: Assessing the Family Stereotypes of the Children of Batters. Journal of Family Psychology, 14, 600- 612. Retrieved February 13, 2002, from PsycARTICLES database. Fergusson, D.M., & Horwood, L.J. (1998). Exposure to Interparental Violence in Childhood and Psychosocial Adjustment in Young Adulthood. Child Abuse & Neglect, 22, 339-357. Retrieved February 17, 2002, from Science Direct database. Hill, T.F., & Nabors, L.A., & Reynolds, M.W., & Wallace, J., & Weist, M.D. (2001). The Relationship between Gender, Depression, and Self-Esteem in Children who have Witnesses Domestic Violence. Child Abuse & Neglect, 25, 1201-1206. Retrieved February 12, 2002, from Science Direct. Word Count: 1388
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