Profiles of behavioral problems in children who witness domestic violence.
Unlike previous investigations of shelter-based samples, our study examined whether profiles of adjustment problems occurred in a community-program-based sample of 175 school-aged children exposed to domestic violence. Cluster analysis revealed three stable profiles/clusters. The largest cluster (69%) consisted of children below clinical thresholds for any internalizing or externalizing problem. Children in the next largest cluster (18%) were characterized as having externalizing problems with or without internalizing problems. The smallest cluster (13%) consisted of children with internalizing problems only. Comparison across demographic and violence characteristics revealed that the profiles differed by child gender, mother's education, child's lifetime exposure to violence, and aspects of the event precipitating contact with the community program. Clinical and future research implications of study findings are discussed.
Spilsbury
James C
JC
Case School of Medicine, and Mental Health Services for Homeless Persons, Inc., Cleveland, OH, USA. jcs5@case.edu
Kahana
Shoshana
S
Drotar
Dennis
D
Creeden
Rosemary
R
Flannery
Daniel J
DJ
Friedman
Steve
S
D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000175:diagnosis; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D002657:Child Development; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017579:Domestic Violence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology