Impact of Domestic Violence on Children
Pre-School Age
Emotion
- Panic, anxiety
- Anxious attachment to both parents
- Separation Anxiety
- Numbing of emotions
- Irritability
Cognition
- Short-term memory of events
- Limited understanding of violence
- Concerns about disruption of routines
- Wants family reunited
Behavior
- Withdrawal, passivity
- Loss of developmental skills (incontinence, self-care)
- Muteness, unresponsivity
- Nightmares, sleep disturbances
School Age
Emotion
- Depression, sadness, worrying
- Guilt, shame
- Feels responsible and helpless to intervene
- Anxious, hypersensitive to danger cues
- Distrust of adults
- Ambivalent feelings toward violent parent
Cognition
- Concentration and memory deficits
- Intrusive thoughts and images of violence
- Fantasies of rescuing victim and family
- Attempts to understand violence
- Ambivalence about family separation
Behavior
- Declining school performance
- Inhibited, passive social behavior
- Psychosomatic complaints (stomach aches, headaches)
- Aggression
- Defiance, disobedience
- Destructive of property
- Re-enactment of trauma in talk & play
- Disturbed peer relationships
Adolescence
Emotion
- Self-blame, guilt, shame, suicidal ideation
- Anger, rage, explosive feelings
- Ambivalent allegiance to one parent
- Depression, hopelessness
- Lack of empathy for others
- Suspicion & distrust of adults
Cognition
- Intrusive thoughts and images of violence
- Concentration and memory deficits
- Confusion of love with violence
- Belief that assault is normal
- Blame others for own behavior
Behavior
- Declining school performance
- Truancy
- Running away from home
- Increased sexual activity
- Substance abuse
- Antisocial behavior, delinquency
- Explosive and violent interpersonal behavior
- Violence & abuse in dating relationships