Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Edleson Revisited: Reviewing Children’s Witnessing of Domestic Violence 15 Years Later

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Journal of Family Violence Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A systematic review of literature was conducted using the criteria identified in Edleson’s (Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 14(8), 839–870, 1999) article titled “Children’s witnessing of domestic violence.” Based on the recommendations in Edleson’s (Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 14(8), 839–870, 1999) article, four themes were examined in the current research 1) the impact of exposure to domestic violence, 2) the cumulative effects of exposure to multiple forms of violence, 3) potential protective factors that highlight children’s resilience, and 4) the father-child relationship. Using similar methods identified in Edleson’s (Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 14(8), 839–870, 1999) article, the literature was searched and 46 articles reviewed during the Fall of 2014. The results highlight areas of great success in expanding the understanding of children’s exposure to domestic violence to increase identification and prevalence. However, the results found that after nearly 15 years, there has been little advancement in the research literature on emphasizing children’s voices in their experiences of domestic violence.

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

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Achenbach, T. M., & Edelbrock, C. S. (1983). Manual for the child behavior checklist and revised behavior profile. Burlington: University of Vermont Department of Psychiatry.

  • 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.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bogat, G. A., DoJonghe, E., Levendosky, A. A., Davidson, W. S., & von Eye, A. (2006). Trauma symptoms among infants exposed to domestic violence. Child Abuse & Neglect, 30, 109–125.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carpenter, G. L., & Stacks, A. M. (2009). Developmental effects of exposure to intimate partner violence in early childhood: a review of the literature. Children and Youth Services Review, 31(8), 831–839. doi:10.1016/j.childyouth.2009.03.005.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cox, C. E., Kotch, J. B., & Everson, M. D. (2003). A longitudinal study of modifying influences in the relationship between domestic violence and child maltreatment. Journal of Family Violence, 18(1), 5–17.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cyr, M., Fortin, A., & Lachance, L. (2006). Children exposed to domestic violence: effects of gender and child physical abuse on psychosocial problems. Journal of Child & Family Welfare, 3, 16.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dick, G. (2005). Witnessing marital violence as children: men’s perceptions of their fathers. Journal of Social Service Research, 32(2), 1–24. doi:10.1300/J079v32n02_01.

    Article  Google Scholar 

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

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Edleson, J. L., Ellerton, A. L., Seagren, E. A., Kirchberg, S. L., Schmidt, S. O., & Ambrose, A. T. (2007). Assessing child exposure to adult domestic violence. Children and Youth Services Review, 29(2007), 961–971.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Edleson, J. L., Shin, N., & Armendariz Johnson, K. K. (2008). Measuring children’s exposure to domestic violence: the development and testing of the Child Exposure to Domestic Violence (CEDV) scale. Children and Youth Services Review, 30(2008), 19.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ehrensaft, M. K., & Cohen, P. (2012). Contribution of family violence to the intergenerational transmission of externalizing behavior. Prevention Science, 13(4), 370–383. doi:10.1007/s11121-011-0223-8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ehrensaft, M. K., Cohen, P., Brown, J., Smailes, P., Chen, H., & Johnson, J. G. (2003). Intergenerational transmission of partner violence: a 20 year prospective study. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 71, 741–753.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • English, D. J., Graham, C., Newton, R. R., Lewis, T. L., Thompson, R., Kotch, J. B., & Weisbart, C. (2009). At-risk and maltreated chilren exposed to intimate partner aggression/violence: what the conflict looks like and its relationship to child outcomes. Child Maltreatment, 14, 13.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fantuzzo, J. W., & Fusco, R. A. (2007a). 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 

  • Fantuzzo, J. W., & Fusco, R. A. (2007b). Children’s direct sensory exposure to substantiated domestic violence crimes. Violence and Victims, 22(2), 158–171.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Finkelhor, D., Ormrod, R., Turner, H., & Holt, M. (2009). Pathways to poly-victimization. Child Maltreatment, 14(4), 316–329. doi:10.1177/1077559509347012.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fusco, R. A., & Fantuzzo, J. W. (2009). Domestic violence crimes and children: a population-based investigation of direct sensory exposure and the nature of involvement. Children and Youth Services Review, 31(2), 249–256. doi:10.1016/j.childyouth.2008.07.017.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ghosh Ippen, C., Harris, W., Van Horn, P., & Lieberman, A. F. (2011). Traumatic and stressful events in early childhood: can treatment help those at highest risk? Child Abuse & Neglect, 35, 504–513.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Graham-Bermann, S. A., Gruber, G., Howell, K. H., & Girz, L. (2009). Factors discriminating among profiles of resilience and psychopathology in children exposed to intimate partner violence (IPV). Child Abuse & Neglect, 33(9), 648–660. doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2009.01.002.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Graham-Bermann, S. A., Howell, K. H., Lilly, M., & Devoe, E. (2011). Mediators and moderators of change in adjustment following intervention for children exposed to intimate partner violence. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 26(9), 1815–1833. doi:10.1177/0886260510372931.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Grych, J. H., Seid, C., & Fincham, F. D. (1992). Assessing marital conflict from the child’s perspective: the children’s perception of interparental conflict scale. Child Development, 63, 15.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hamby, S., Finkelhor, D., Turner, H., & Ormrod, R. (2010). The overlap of witnessing partner violence with child maltreatment and other victimizations in a nationally representative survey of youth. Child Abuse Neglect, 34(10), 734–741. doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2010.03.001.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Holt, S., Buckley, H., & Whelan, 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 

  • Hughes, H. M., Parkinson, D., & Vargo, M. (1989). Witnessing spouse abuse and experiencing physical abuse: a “double whammy?” Journal of Family Violence, 4, 197–209

  • Johnson, V. K., & Lieberman, A. F. (2007). Variations in behavior problems of preschoolers exposed to domestic violence: the role of mothers’ attunment to children’s emotional experiences. Journal of Family Violence, 22, 297–308.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kitzmann, K. M., Gaylord, N. K., Holt, A. R., & Kenny, E. D. (2003). Child witnesses to domestic 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 

  • Lam, W. K. K., Fals-Stewart, W., & Kelley, M. (2009). The timeline followback interview to assess children’s exposure to partner violence: reliability and validity. Journal of Family Violence, 24(2), 133–143. doi:10.1007/s10896-008-9218-z.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Levendosky, A. A., Huth-Bocks, A. C., Semel, M. A., & Shapiro, D. L. (2002). Trauma symptoms in preschool-age children exposed to domestic violence. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 17, 15.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Luthra, R., Abramovitz, R., Greenberg, R., Schoor, A., Newcorn, J., Schmeidler, J., & Chemtob, C. M. (2009). Relationship between type of trauma exposure and posttraumatic stress disorder among urban chidlren and adolescents. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 24(11), 9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Malik, N. M. (2008). Exposure to domestic and community violence in a nonrisk sample: associations with child functioning. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 23(4), 490–504. doi:10.1177/0886260507312945.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Martinez-Torteya, C., Bogat, G. A., von Eye, A., & Levendosky, A. A. (2009). Resilience among children exposed to domestic violence: the role of risk and protective factors. Child Development, 80(2), 562–577.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mbilinyi, L. F., Edleson, J. L., Hagemeister, A. K., & Beeman, S. K. (2007). What happens to children when their mothers are battered? Results from a four city anonymous telephone survey. Journal of Family Violence, 22(5), 309–317. doi:10.1007/s10896-007-9087-x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moylan, C. A., Herrenkohl, T. I., Sousa, C., Tajima, E. A., Herrenkohl, R. C., & Russo, M. J. (2010). The effects of child abuse and exposure to domestic violence on adolescent internalizing and externalizing behavior problems. Journal of Family Violence, 25(1), 53–63. doi:10.1007/s10896-009-9269-9.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Murrell, A. R., Christoff, K. A., & Henning, K. R. (2007). Characteristics of domestic violence offenders: associations with childhood exposure to violence. Journal of Family Violence, 22(7), 523–532. doi:10.1007/s10896-007-9100-4.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Owen, A. E., Thompson, M. P., Shaffer, A., Jackson, E. B., & Kaslow, N. J. (2009). Family variables that mediate the relation between intimate partner violence (IPV) and child adjustment. Journal of Family Violence, 24, 433–445.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pence, E., & Paymar, M. (1993). Education groups for men who batter: the Duluth model. New York: Springer Publishing Co.

    Google Scholar 

  • Petering, R., Rice, E., Rhoades, H., & Winetrobe, H. (2014). The social networks of homeless youth experiencing intimate partner violence. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 29(12), 2172–2191.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Richters, J. E., & Martinez, P. E. (1990). Things I have seen and heard: an interview for young children about exposure to violence. Rockville: National Institute of Mental Health.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rigterink, T., Fainsilber Katz, L., & Hessler, D. M. (2010). Domestic violence and longitudinal associations with children’s physiological regulation abilities. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 25(9), 1669–1683. doi:10.1177/0886260509354589.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Rossman, B. B. (1998). Descarte’s error and post traumatic stress disorder. Cognition and emotion in children who are exposed to parental violence. In G.W. Holden, R. Geffner, & E. N. Jouriles (Eds.), Children exposed to marital violence. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

  • Silverman, A., & Gelles, R. J. (2001). The double whammy revisited: the impact of exposure to domestic violence and being a victim of parent and child violence. The Indian Journal of Social Work, 62(3), 23.

    Google Scholar 

  • Skuja, K., & Halford, W. K. (2004). Repeating the errors of our parents? Parental violence in men’s family of origin and conflict management in dating couples. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 19(6), 623–638. doi:10.1177/0886260504263874.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Smith Stover, C., Van Horn, P., & Lieberman, A. F. (2006). Parental representations in the play of preschool aged witnesses of marital violence. Journal of Family Violence, 21, 417–424.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Song, L., Singer, M., & Anglin, T. (1998). Violence exposure and emotional trauma as contributors to adolescents’ violent behaviors. Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, 152, 531–536.

  • Sousa, C., Herrenkohl, T. I., Moylan, C. A., Tajima, E. A., Klika, J. B., Herrenkohl, R. C., & Russo, M. J. (2011). Longitudinal study on the effects of child abuse and Children’s exposure to domestic violence, parent–child attachments, and antisocial behavior in adolescence. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 26(1), 111–136. doi:10.1177/0886260510362883.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Spilsbury, J. C., Bellistron, L., Drotar, D., Drinkard, A., Kretschmar, J., Creeden, R., & Friedman, S. (2007). Clinically significant trauma symptoms and behavioral problems in a community-based sample of children exposed to domestic violence. Journal of Family Violence, 22, 487–499.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Straus, M. A. (1979). Measuring intra family conflict and violence: the conflit tactics scale. Journal of Marriage and Family, 41, 13.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ybarra, G. J., Wilkens, S. L., & Lieberman, A. F. (2007). The influence of domestic violence on preschooler behavior and functioning. Journal of Family Violence, 22, 33–42.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Portland State University, PO Box 751, Mailbox Code: SSW, Portland, OR, 97206, USA

    Ericka Kimball

Authors
  1. Ericka Kimball
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ericka Kimball.

Appendix

Appendix

Table 1 Summary information of articles included in review
Full size table

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Kimball, E. Edleson Revisited: Reviewing Children’s Witnessing of Domestic Violence 15 Years Later. J Fam Viol 31, 625–637 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-015-9786-7

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-015-9786-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation