Systemic Factors Associated With Prosocial Skills and Maladaptive Functioning in Youth Exposed to Intimate Partner...

Area of Science:

• Child Psychology
• Family Studies
• Sociology

Background:

• Children in homes with intimate partner violence (IPV) face risks of behavioral and emotional difficulties.
• Despite risks, many children demonstrate resilience when exposed to IPV.
• Bronfenbrenner's bioecological model provides a framework for understanding these complex influences.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine person-level, process-level (microsystem), and context-level (mesosystem) factors linked to child functioning in IPV-exposed families.
• To identify factors associated with both maladaptive behaviors and prosocial skills in children witnessing IPV.
• To inform strength-based interventions for children exposed to family violence.

Main Methods:

• Utilized linear regression modeling with data from 118 mothers reporting on their 6- to 14-year-old children.
• Assessed child functioning in relation to maternal experiences of severe IPV within the past six months.
• Analyzed factors influencing both child maladaptive functioning and prosocial skill development.

Main Results:

• More severe IPV and negative parenting practices significantly predicted worse child maladaptive functioning (adj. R² = 27%).
• Less negative parenting practices and greater community connectedness were associated with enhanced child prosocial skills (adj. R² = 14%).
• Identified specific, modifiable factors influencing child outcomes in IPV contexts.

Conclusions:

• Parenting practices and community connections are critical, mutable factors influencing children exposed to IPV.
• Findings support the development of strength-based interventions targeting these modifiable factors.
• Understanding bioecological influences is key to supporting resilient outcomes for children in violent homes.