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Intimate Partner Violence Victimization, Maternal Child Maltreatment, and the Mediating Impact of Changes in Family Structure

Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal volume 31, pages 237–249 (2014)Cite this article

Abstract

To examine the mediating effect of family structure in the relationship between paternal Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) and maternal child maltreatment. The method was quantitative analysis of secondary data. Changes in family structure fully mediated the relationship between IPV victimization and maternal child physical abuse (Δ = .069) and partially mediated the impact of IPV on maternal child psychological abuse (Δ = .051). Households wherein IPV occurs are not only unsafe for children because of potential abuse by the perpetrators, they also create dynamics that increase the risk of child maltreatment by the IPV victim. Treating only substance abuse or managing only child maltreatment may be insufficient if these issues are the direct or indirect result of domestic violence. Programs that integrate services are urgently necessary to address the overlap of child abuse and domestic violence.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Northern Iowa, Sabin, Room 235, Cedar Falls, IA, 50614, USA

    Cindy Juby

  2. University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA, 50614, USA

    William Downs

  3. Waterloo, IA, 50702, USA

    Barb Rindels

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  1. Cindy Juby
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  2. William Downs
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  3. Barb Rindels
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Correspondence to Cindy Juby.

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Juby, C., Downs, W. & Rindels, B. Intimate Partner Violence Victimization, Maternal Child Maltreatment, and the Mediating Impact of Changes in Family Structure. Child Adolesc Soc Work J 31, 237–249 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10560-013-0318-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10560-013-0318-0

Keywords

  • Intimate partner violence
  • Child physical abuse
  • Child psychological abuse
  • Family structure