Dyadic Profiles of Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms in Mothers and Children Experiencing Intimate Partner Violence

Children who witness intimate partner violence (IPV) develop posttraumatic stress disorder at alarmingly high rates. Research suggests that caregivers' symptoms of posttraumatic stress (PTSS) often co-occur alongside children's PTSS, a phenomenon termed "relational posttraumatic stress." The goal of this study is to use dyad-centered analyses to examine heterogeneity in relational PTSS presentations in mother-child dyads, and to determine factors differentiating relational PTSS profiles. Data were drawn from a sample of 231 IPV-exposed, ethno-racially diverse mother-child dyads, with children ranging from ages 4 to 12. The results of a latent profile analysis indicated that a two-profile model was the best fit with the data. Both profiles indicated similar levels of PTSS across the dyad; however, they differed in overall symptom severity. Parenting and IPV severity significantly predicted profile membership; however, age did not. Results suggest that similarities in PTSS presentation should be expected in mother-child dyads, at least in families who experience IPV.