Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Family Violence and Children’s Behavior Problems: Independent Contributions of Intimate Partner and Child-Directed Physical Aggression

  • The Impact of Community and Family Violence on Adolescents
  • Published:
Journal of Family Violence Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Using data from a diverse sample of 581 families living in predominantly low-income, rural communities, the current study sought to investigate the longitudinal associations among father-perpetrated intimate partner violence (IPV) and child-directed physical aggression perpetrated by the mother. The unique contributions of each of these types of family violence on children’s behavioral problems at school entry were also examined. Results confirm bidirectional associations between father-perpetrated IPV and maternal physical aggression directed toward the child, and indicate that both types of physical aggression contribute to child behavior problems at school entry.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. In posthoc analyses, we investigated whether the sex of the child moderated any of the relations presented in the current study. Results from moderation analyses as well as from two group analyses (where separate models were estimated for boys and girls) revealed no such differences.

  2. Although the focus of the current study was on maternal child-directed physical aggression and father-perpetrated IPV (for the reasons outlined on page 8), during supplemental analyses we also investigated the role of mother-perpetrated IPV and father-perpetrated child-directed physical aggression in this model. Specifically, bidirectional paths between all four types of family violence were estimated, in addition to direct paths from all four types of family violence to the children’s behavioral problem latent variable. Contrary to expectation, when considered in a model with father-perpetrated IPV and mother-perpetrated child-directed physical aggression, we found that (in this sample, at this child age, and with this child outcome) these other two types of family violence were not related to any of the variables presented in the current manuscript. We suspect that these lack of findings are likely due to multicollinearity among the different types of family violence, however future research should more fully explore this suggestion.

References

  • Anderson, K. L. (2010). Conflict, power, and violence in families. Journal of Marriage and Family, 72(3), 726–742. doi:10.1111/j.1741-3737.2010.00727.x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Appel, A. E., & Holden, G. W. (1998). The co-occurrence of spouse and physical child abuse: a review and appraisal. Journal of Family Psychology, 12(4), 578–599. doi:10.1037//0893-3200.12.4.578.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Arbuckle, J. L. (1996). Full information estimation in the presence of incomplete data. In G. A. Marcoulides & R. E. Schumacker (Eds.), Advanced structural equation modeling (pp. 243–277). Mahwah: Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baumrind, D. (1993). The average expectable environment is not good enough: a response to Scarr. Child Development, 64(5), 1299–1317. doi:10.2307/1131536.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bentler, P. M. (1990). Comparative fit indexes in structural models. Psychological Bulletin, 107(2), 238–246. doi:10.1037/0033-2909.107.2.238.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Berlin, L. J., Ispa, J. M., Fine, M. A., Malone, P. S., Brooks-Gunn, J., Brady-Smith, C., Ayoub, C., & Bai, Y. (2009). Correlates and consequences of spanking and verbal punishment for low-income white, African American, and Mexican American toddlers. Child Development, 80(5), 1403–1420. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8624.2009.01341.x.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Browne, M. W., & Cudeck, R. (1993). Alternative ways of assessing model fit. In K. A. Bollen & J. S. Long (Eds.), Testing structural equation models (pp. 136–162). Newbury Park: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Burchinal, M., Vernon-Feagans, L., Cox, M., & the Family Life Project Investigators. (2008). Cumulative social risk, parenting, and infant development in rural low-income communities. Parenting: Science and Practice, 8(1), 41–69. doi:10.1080/15295190701830672.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Campbell, S. B. (1995). Behavior problems in preschool children: a review of recent research. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry & Allied Disciplines, 36(1), 113–149. doi:10.1111/j.1469-7610.1995.tb01657.x.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cox, M. J., & Paley, B. (1997). Families as systems. Annual Review of Psychology, 48(1), 243–267. doi:10.1146/annurev.psych.48.1.243.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cox, M. J., & Paley, B. (2003). Understanding families as systems. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 12(5), 193–196. doi:10.1111/1467-8721.01259.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cummings, E. M., & Davies, P. T. (2010). Marital conflict and children: an emotional security perspective. New York: Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Edleson, J. (1999). Children’s witnessing of adult domestic violence. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 14(8), 839–870. doi:10.1177/088626099014008004.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fantuzzo, J., & Fusco, R. (2007). Children’s direct exposure to types of domestic violence crime: a population-based investigation. Journal of Family Violence, 22(7), 543–552. doi:10.1007/s10896-007-9105-z.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gershoff, E. T. (2002). Corporal punishment by parents and associated child behaviors and experiences: a meta-analytic and theoretical review. Psychological Bulletin, 128(4), 539–579. doi:10.1037//0033-2909.128.4.539.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Goodman, R. (2001). Psychometric properties of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 40(11), 1337–1345. doi:10.1097/00004583-200111000-00015.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hinshaw, S. P., Han, S. S., Erhardt, D., & Huber, A. (1992). Internalizing and externalizing behavior problems in preschool children: correspondence among parent and teacher ratings and behavior problems. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 21(2), 143–150. doi:10.1207/s15374424jccp2102_6.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hofferth, S. L., Stueve, J. L., Pleck, J., Bianchi, S., & Sayer, L. (2002). The demography of fathers: what fathers do. In C. S. Tamis-LeMonda & N. Cabrera (Eds.), Handbook of father involvement: multidisciplinary perspectives (pp. 63–90). Mahwah: Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Holt, S., Buckley, H., & Whelen, S. (2008). The impact of exposure to domestic violence on children and young people: a review of the literature. Child Abuse & Neglect, 32(8), 797–810. doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2008.02.004.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Huang, C.-C., Wang, L.-R., & Warrener, C. (2010). Effects of domestic violence on behavior problems of preschool-aged children: do maternal mental health and parenting mediate the effects? Children and Youth Services Review, 32(10), 1317–1323. doi:10.1016/j.childyouth.2010.04.024.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jaffee, S. R., Moffitt, T. E., Caspi, A., Taylor, A., & Arsenault, L. (2002). Influence of adult domestic violence on children’s internalizing and externalizing problems: an environmentally informative twin study. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 41(9), 1095–1103. doi:10.1097/00004583-200209000-00010.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jouriles, E. N., McDonald, E., Smith Slep, A. M., Heyman, R. E., & Garrido, E. (2008). Child abuse in the context of domestic violence: prevalence, explanations, and practice implications. Violence and Victims, 23(2), 221–235. doi:10.1891/0886-6708.23.2.221.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Keiley, M. K., Howe, T. R., Dodge, K. A., Bates, J. E., & Pettit, G. S. (2001). The timing of child physical maltreatment: a cross-domain growth analysis of impact on adolescent externalizing and internalizing problems. Developmental Psychopathology, 13(4), 891–912.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kitzmann, K. M., Gaylord, N. K., Holt, A. R., & Kenny, E. D. (2003). Child witnesses to domestic physical violence: a meta-analytic review. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 71(2), 339–352. doi:10.1037/0022-006x.71.2.339.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Knickerbocker, L., Heyman, R. E., Slep, A. M. S., Jouriles, E. N., & McDonald, R. (2007). Co-occurrence of child and partner maltreatment: definitions, prevalence, theory, and implications for assessment. European Psychologist, 12(1), 36–44. doi:10.1027/1016-9040.12.1.36.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Krishnakumar, A., & Buehler, C. (2000). Inter-parental conflict and parenting behaviors: a meta-analytic review. Family Relations, 49(1), 25–44. doi:10.1111/j.1741-3729.2000.00025.x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Levendosky, A. A., & Graham-Bermann, S. A. (2001). Parenting in battered women: the effects of domestic violence on women and their children. Journal of Family Violence, 16(2), 171–192. doi:10.1023/A:1011111003373.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Levendosky, A. A., Huth-Bocks, A. C., Shapiro, D. L., & Semel, M. A. (2003). The impact of domestic violence on the maternal-child relationship and preschool-age children’s functioning. Journal of Family Psychology, 17(3), 275–287. doi:10.1037/0893-3200.17.3.275.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Levendosky, A. A., Leahy, K. L., Bogat, A., Davidson, W. S., & von Eye, A. (2006). Domestic violence, maternal parenting, maternal mental health, and infant externalizing behavior. Journal of Family Psychology, 20(4), 544–552. doi:10.1037/0893-3200.20.4.544.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Levendosky, A. A., Bogat, G. A., & von Eye, A. (2007). New directions for research on intimate partner violence and children. European Psychologist, 12(1), 1–5. doi:10.1027/1016-9040.12.1.1.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Litrownick, A. J., Newton, R., Hunter, W. H., English, D., & Everson, M. D. (2003). Exposure to family violence in young at-risk children: a longitudinal look at the effects of victimization and witnessed physical and psychological aggression. Journal of Family Violence, 18(1), 59–73. doi:10.1023/A:1021405515323.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maccoby, E., & Martin, M. (1983). Socialization in the context of the family: parent-child interaction. In P. Mussen (Ed.), Handbook of child psychology (Vol. 4, pp. 1–101). New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • McDonald, R., Jouriles, E. N., Ramisetty-Mikler, S., Caetano, R., & Green, C. E. (2006). Estimating the number of children living in partner-violent families. Journal of Family Psychology, 20(1), 137–142. doi:10.1037/0893-3200.20.1.137.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • McLoyd, V. C., & Smith, J. (2002). Physical discipline and behavior problems in African American, European American and Hispanic children: Emotional support as a moderator. Journal of Marriage and Family, 64(1), 40–53. doi:10.1111/j.1741-3737.2002.00040.x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Muthén, L. K., & Muthén, B. O. (1998–2010). Mplus user’s guide (6th ed.). Los Angeles: Muthén & Muthén.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pleck, J. H., & Masciadrelli, B. P. (2004). Paternal involvement by U.S. residential fathers: Levels, sources, and consequences. In M. E. Lamb (Ed.), The role of the father in child development (4th ed., pp. 222–271). New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rimm-Kaufman, S. E., Pianta, R., & Cox, M. (2000). Teachers’ judgments of problems in the transition to kindergarten. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 15(2), 147–166. doi:10.1016/s0885-2006(00)00049-1.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Slep, A. S., & O’Leary, S. G. (2001). Examining partner and child abuse: are we ready for a more integrated approach to family violence? Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 4(2), 87–107. doi:10.1023/A:1011319213874.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sternberg, K. J., Lamb, M. E., Greenbaum, C., Cicchetti, D., Dawud, S., Cortes, R. M., Krispin, O., & Lorey, F. (1993). Effects of domestic violence on children’s behavior problems and depression. Developmental Psychology, 29(1), 444–452. doi:10.1037//0012-1649.29.1.44.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stets, J., & Straus, M. (1989). The marriage license as a hitting license: a comparison of assaults in dating, cohabiting, and married couples. Journal of Family Violence, 4(2), 161–180. doi:10.1007/BF01006627.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Straus, M. (1979). Measuring intrafamily conflict and violence: the conflict tactics scales. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 41(1), 75–88. doi:10.2307/351733.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Straus, M. A., & Gelles, R. J. (1990). Physical violence in American families: risk factors and adaptations to violence in 8,145 families. New Bruswick: Transaction.

    Google Scholar 

  • Straus, M. A., & Stewart, J. H. (1999). Corporal punishment by American parents: national data on prevalence, chronicity, severity, and duration, in relation to child and family characteristics. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 2(2), 55–70. doi:10.1023/A:1021891529770.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Straus, M., & Sweet, S. (1992). Verbal/symbolic aggression in couples: incidence rates and relationships to personal characteristics. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 54(2), 346–357. doi:10.2307/353066.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tolan, P., Gorman-Smith, D., & Henry, D. (2006). Family violence. Annual Review of Psychology, 57(1), 557–583. doi:10.1146/annurev.psych.57.102904.190110.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tucker, L. R., & Lewis, C. (1973). A reliability coefficient for maximum likelihood factor analysis. Psychometrika, 38(1), 1–10. doi:10.1007/bf02291170.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wolfe, D. A., Crooks, C. V., Lee, V., McIntyre-Smith, A., & Jaffe, P. G. (2003). The effects of children’s exposure to domestic violence: a meta-analysis and critique. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 6(3), 171–187. doi:10.1023/A:1024910416164.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This research was supported by a grant from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (PO1-HD-39667), with co-funding from the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA

    Hanna C. Gustafsson, Nissa R. Towe-Goodman, W. Roger Mills-Koonce & Martha J. Cox

  2. University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA

    Melissa A. Barnett

  3. Columbia University Medical Center, 630 West 168th Street, PH1540, New York, NY, 10032, USA

    Hanna C. Gustafsson

Authors
  1. Hanna C. Gustafsson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Melissa A. Barnett
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Nissa R. Towe-Goodman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. W. Roger Mills-Koonce
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Martha J. Cox
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Consortia

the Family Life Project Key Investigators

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hanna C. Gustafsson.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Gustafsson, H.C., Barnett, M.A., Towe-Goodman, N.R. et al. Family Violence and Children’s Behavior Problems: Independent Contributions of Intimate Partner and Child-Directed Physical Aggression. J Fam Viol 29, 773–781 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-014-9628-z

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-014-9628-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation