An Efficacy Trial of an Intervention Program for Children Exposed to Intimate Partner Violence

Area of Science:

• Child Psychology
• Trauma Studies
• Intervention Science

Background:

• Children exposed to intimate partner violence (IPV) face high risks for adjustment issues, particularly internalizing disorders.
• Evidence-based interventions for internalizing behaviors in this vulnerable population are limited.
• Internalizing problems in children are associated with significant long-term mental health challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of a novel intervention program designed to mitigate the effects of IPV exposure on child internalizing problems.
• To compare intervention outcomes against a waitlist control group in young children aged 4-6 years.
• To assess the intervention's impact on both boys and girls.

Main Methods:

• An efficacy trial involving 120 mother-child dyads from the US and Canada.
• Random assignment to either the intervention program or a waitlist comparison condition.
• Data collection at baseline, post-intervention (5 weeks), and 8-month follow-up using standardized assessments.
• Analysis using both intent-to-treat (ITT) and per-protocol (PP) methods.

Main Results:

• Intent-to-treat (ITT) analyses revealed a significant reduction in child internalizing problems for girls at the 8-month follow-up.
• Per-protocol (PP) analyses demonstrated significant reductions in internalizing problems for both boys and girls immediately post-intervention.
• The intervention demonstrated a positive effect on reducing internalizing symptoms in children exposed to IPV.

Conclusions:

• The mother-child intervention is effective in reducing internalizing problems among young children exposed to intimate partner violence.
• The findings support the use of this intervention as a viable treatment option for this at-risk population.
• Early intervention can mitigate the adverse psychological effects of IPV exposure on child development.