Children Exposed to Intimate Partner Violence: How Family Strengths and Supports Mediate Mental Health

Aim: It has been well-documented that children exposed to intimate partner violence (IPV) often show socioemotional problems. Many children in homes with IPV are also involved in the child welfare system, and this co-occurrence can have an even greater negative effect. However, not all exposed children experience poor outcomes, and it is important to examine protective factors that may provide a buffer. This research sought to explain the familial and social factors that might promote better mental health in children exposed to IPV.

Background: Although parents can provide a safeguard from stress, mothering in the context of IPV can be challenging, especially since social networks may be diminished or exhausted.  Understanding the contextual variables that impact parenting in women experiencing IPV can help broaden our understanding of supports that may buffer against negative outcomes. Given the high likelihood of women remaining with their partner when IPV is present, it is imperative to work with existing family strengths and social supports to minimize emotional harm to the children of these couples.

Methods: The current study involved interviews with a random sample mothers with young children (aged 0-5) involved in the child welfare system across a state in the northeast (n=336). The relationship between IPV and child socioemotional problems was explored, along with supports that may mediate this relationship (mother-child attachment, overall family functioning, mothers’ emotional support, and mother’s concrete support). Structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to examine mediation.

Findings: Roughly one-third of these women reported IPV in the past year. In terms of individual and family characteristics the mothers who experienced IPV were similar to the mothers who did not report IPV in terms of age at first birth, race, and marital status. All women in the study endorsed high levels of anxiety, depression, and substance use. The only significant differences between the groups was that mothers reporting IPV were more likely to be receiving TANF (48% vs. 34%), and their children were more likely to have socioemotional problems (36% vs. 20%). Study results showed that child exposure to IPV was directly related to socioemotional problems. This relationship was mediated by three family and social factors: strength of mother-child attachment, overall family functioning, and level of mothers’ emotional support.

Conclusions/Recommendations: Findings show the heterogeneity among families with IPV and highlight the need for interventions focused on the ecological context in which they are parenting. Families can provide positive nurturing and support despite the presence of IPV. While the prevailing thought is that women should leave abusive partners, less than half actually leave, and those who leave frequently return. Yoshioka and Choi (2005) proposed that a harm reduction perspective should be included on the continuum of IPV services. This shifts the focus from leaving a violent relationship to minimizing the harm that can result from these relationships. Identifying and building family strengths and social supports when the mother chooses to stay with her partner can have long term benefits for the well-being of both her and her children.