Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 14, 2026

The Resident-intruder Paradigm: A Standardized Test for Aggression, Violence and Social Stress

The Resident-intruder Paradigm: A Standardized Test for Aggression, Violence and Social Stress

Published on: July 4, 2013

Outcomes of psychotherapeutic and psychoeducative group interventions for children exposed to intimate partner

Karin Pernebo¹, Mats Fridell², Kjerstin Almqvist³

¹Department of Psychology, Linnaeus University, Växjö, Sweden; Department of Research and Development, Region Kronoberg, Växjö, Sweden.

Child Abuse & Neglect

|February 27, 2018

Insights

Childhood exposure to intimate partner violence impacts health. Psychotherapeutic interventions show greater symptom reduction for children, but routine follow-up is needed.

Area of Science:

Child Psychology
Trauma Studies
Intervention Effectiveness

Background:

Childhood exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV) negatively affects health and development.
Effective interventions are crucial for children exposed to IPV in clinical and community settings.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate symptom reduction in children exposed to IPV and their mothers following two group interventions.
To compare the effectiveness of a psychoeducative intervention versus a psychotherapeutic treatment.

Main Methods:

Study included 50 children (ages 4-13) and their mothers.
Assessed child and maternal mental health and trauma symptoms pre- and post-treatment.
Utilized two group interventions: community-based psychoeducative and psychotherapeutic treatment.

Main Results:

Both interventions benefited children, with greater symptom reduction in the psychotherapeutic group.
Children with higher initial trauma symptoms showed the most improvement.
Maternal post-traumatic stress significantly reduced in both groups.
A majority of mothers still reported clinical levels of child trauma symptoms post-treatment.

Conclusions:

Psychotherapeutic interventions may be more effective for children exposed to IPV.
Despite improvements, ongoing child trauma symptoms necessitate further support.
Routine follow-up of children's symptoms after interventions is recommended.

Read full analysis

Abstract:

Witnessing violence toward a caregiver during childhood is associated with negative impact on children's health and development, and there is a need for effective interventions for children exposed to intimate partner violence in clinical as well as in community settings. The current effectiveness study investigated symptom reduction after participation in two established group interventions (one community-based psychoeducative intervention; one psychotherapeutic treatment intervention) for children exposed to intimate partner violence and for their non-offending parent. The study included 50 children-24 girls and 26 boys-aged 4-13 years and their mothers. Child and maternal mental health problems and trauma symptoms were assessed pre- and post-treatment. The results indicate that although children showed benefits from both interventions, symptom reduction was larger in the psychotherapeutic intervention, and children with initially high levels of trauma symptoms benefited the most. Despite these improvements, a majority of the children's mothers still reported child trauma symptoms at clinical levels post-treatment. Both interventions substantially reduced maternal post-traumatic stress. The results indicate a need for routine follow-up of children's symptoms after interventions.

Keywords:

Child witness of intimate partner violence Children Domestic violence IPV Outcome research Post traumatic stress Treatment

More Related Videos

Measurements of Motor Function and Other Clinical Outcome Parameters in Ambulant Children with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

Measurements of Motor Function and Other Clinical Outcome Parameters in Ambulant Children with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

Published on: January 12, 2019

Assessing Working Memory in Children: The Comprehensive Assessment Battery for Children – Working Memory (CABC-WM)

Assessing Working Memory in Children: The Comprehensive Assessment Battery for Children – Working Memory (CABC-WM)

Published on: June 12, 2017

Related Concept Videos

Nursing Interventions I: Taxonomy of Nursing Interventions

Nursing Interventions I: Taxonomy of Nursing Interventions

Nursing interventions are chosen as part of the planning process to achieve patient outcomes. Once nursing diagnoses are determined, the goals and outcomes are specified, then the nursing interventions are selected and individualized according to the patient's situation.
A nursing intervention is a treatment or action based on scientific concepts and knowledge from the nursing, behavioral, and physical sciences. Identifying and prioritizing nursing interventions based on the desired outcome...

Nursing Interventions II: Selecting and Classifying the Nursing Interventions

Nursing Interventions II: Selecting and Classifying the Nursing Interventions

Creating and executing a nursing diagnosis helps nurses plan care and guide patient, family, and community interventions. They are developed based on a patient's physical evaluation and support measuring the outcomes. It is not recommended to select random interventions throughout the planning process. Instead, consider the following six essential factors when choosing interventions:

Predicting Reaction Outcomes

Predicting Reaction Outcomes

Kinetics describes the rate and path by which a reaction occurs. In contrast, thermodynamics deals with state functions and describes the properties, behavior, and components of a system. It is not concerned with the path taken by the process and cannot address the rate at which a reaction occurs. Although it does provide information about what can happen during a reaction process, it does not describe the detailed steps of what appears on an atomic or a molecular level. On the other hand,...

Outcomes of Glycolysis

Outcomes of Glycolysis

Nearly all the energy used by cells comes from the bonds that make up complex organic compounds. These organic compounds are broken down into simpler molecules, such as glucose. As a result, cells extract energy from glucose over many chemical reactions—a process called cellular respiration.
Cellular respiration can occur aerobically (with oxygen) or anaerobically (without oxygen). In the presence of oxygen, cellular respiration starts with glycolysis and continues with pyruvate...

Community Based Intervention

Community Based Intervention

Community-based interventions in mental health represent a paradigm shift from institution-centered care to treatments embedded within the fabric of local communities. By prioritizing inclusion and leveraging existing societal structures, this approach fosters a supportive environment conducive to addressing mental health challenges while promoting individual dignity and agency.
Foundations of Community Mental Health Programs
Central to the success of community-based interventions is the...

Operant Conditioning Intervention

Operant Conditioning Intervention

Operant conditioning serves as a foundational principle in therapeutic interventions aimed at modifying maladaptive behaviors. Central to this approach is the notion that behaviors, both adaptive and maladaptive, are learned through reinforcement. By analyzing the environmental factors that reinforce problematic behaviors, clinicians can design interventions to weaken these reinforcements and replace maladaptive behaviors with healthier alternatives.
In operant conditioning, behaviors that are...

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Long-Term Effects and Predictors of Outcome of Child-Parent Psychotherapy for Traumatized Young Children and their Caregivers: A 6-Month Follow-Up of a Swedish Clinical Sample.

Journal of child & adolescent trauma·2026

Promoting children's wellbeing: Professionals' experiences and views on early identification.

Journal of pediatric nursing·2025

Changes in Psychiatric Symptoms in Swedish Mothers Who Took Part in Project Support: An Intervention for Mothers Exposed to Intimate Partner Violence With Children Who Have Developed Conduct Problems.

Violence against women·2023

Patient Participation in Forensic Psychiatric Care: The Initial Development and Content Validity of a New Instrument.

Journal of forensic nursing·2023

Child health care nurses' experience of language screening for 2.5-year-old children: A qualitative study.

Nursing open·2023

Reduced Posttraumatic Stress in Mothers Taking Part in Group Interventions for Children Exposed to Intimate Partner Violence.

Violence and victims·2023

See all related articles