Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 2, 2025

Use of a Psychophysiological Script-driven Imagery Experiment to Study Trauma-related Dissociation in Borderline Personality Disorder
09:55

Use of a Psychophysiological Script-driven Imagery Experiment to Study Trauma-related Dissociation in Borderline Personality Disorder

Published on: March 8, 2018

12.7K

Conflict Appraisals and Trauma Symptoms in Children Exposed to Intimate Partner Violence

Kara A Cochran1, G Anne Bogat2, Alytia A Levendosky2

  • 1Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA cochr121@msu.edu.

Violence and Victims
|February 24, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Witnessing intimate partner violence (IPV) impacts children

Area of Science:

  • Child Psychology
  • Trauma Studies
  • Neuroendocrinology

Background:

  • Children exposed to intimate partner violence (IPV) face risks for posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis dysfunction.
  • Understanding the mechanisms linking IPV exposure to these adverse outcomes is crucial for developing effective interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate children's threat and self-blame appraisals as mediators between IPV exposure and adverse outcomes.
  • To examine the role of parent-child relationships in this context.

Main Methods:

  • The study included 119 10-year-old children and their mothers.
  • Data collection involved children's reports of IPV, threat/self-blame appraisals, parent-child relationship quality, and HPA axis functioning (cortisol response to social stressor).

Main Results:

  • IPV exposure was not directly associated with PTSS but was linked to attenuated cortisol output.
  • Children exposed to IPV showed greater threat appraisals and poorer parent-child relationships.
  • Threat appraisals and parent-child relationship quality partially mediated the effects of IPV on HPA axis functioning.

Conclusions:

  • Witnessing IPV poses a threat to children, negatively affects parent-child relationships, and impacts HPA axis functioning.
  • Cognitive appraisals and relationship quality are important mechanisms through which IPV exposure exerts its effects.
  • Findings underscore the pervasive impact of IPV on child development and well-being.

Keywords:
HPA axisPTSDcortisoldomestic violence

More Related Videos

Polar Histogram Visualization of Acute Stress Disorder Scale Scores for Comprehensive Clinical Assessment08:25

Polar Histogram Visualization of Acute Stress Disorder Scale Scores for Comprehensive Clinical Assessment

Published on: December 6, 2024

547
Assessing the Coherence of Parents' Short Narratives Regarding their Child Using the Five-Minute Speech Sample Procedure07:56

Assessing the Coherence of Parents' Short Narratives Regarding their Child Using the Five-Minute Speech Sample Procedure

Published on: September 19, 2019

10.2K

Related Concept Videos

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder01:27

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric condition that arises following exposure to traumatic events such as natural disasters, forced displacement, or severe accidents. It significantly impairs individuals' ability to cope with daily activities and disrupts their emotional and psychological equilibrium.
Symptoms and Behavioral Manifestations
A spectrum of distressing symptoms characterizes PTSD. Recurrent flashbacks, where individuals involuntarily relive traumatic events,...
133
Hazan and Shaver's Attachment Styles01:28

Hazan and Shaver's Attachment Styles

Attachment theory, developed initially to explain infant–caregiver bonds, has been extended to illuminate patterns of intimacy in adult romantic relationships. Psychologists Cindy Hazan and Phillip Shaver proposed that the attachment styles observed in infancy form a framework for how individuals approach emotional closeness and conflict in adulthood. These attachment styles—secure, avoidant, and anxious—are linked to enduring patterns of behavior and emotional regulation in...
29
Traumatic Memory01:20

Traumatic Memory

Emotionally traumatic events often lead to memories that are exceptionally vivid and enduring, sometimes persisting with remarkable clarity throughout an individual's life. A classic example of this phenomenon is a person who survives a car accident. Even years later, they may recall every detail of the event with startling accuracy — the screeching of the tires, the jarring impact, and the acrid smell of burning rubber. Such vividness contrasts sharply with how an individual...
287
Theory of Romantic Attachment in Adulthood03:34

Theory of Romantic Attachment in Adulthood

Attachment is a long-standing connection or bond with others. While Attachment Theory was conceived in developmental psychology to describe infant-caregiver bonding, it's been extended into adulthood to include romantic relationships. 
45.0K
Lazarus's Cognitive Appraisal Theory01:20

Lazarus's Cognitive Appraisal Theory

Cognitive psychologist Richard Lazarus proposed the cognitive-mediational theory of emotions, which emphasizes how individuals' assessments of stressors significantly affect their experience of stress. According to Lazarus, the stress response is determined by a two-step appraisal process: primary appraisal and secondary appraisal. These cognitive appraisals help individuals evaluate the potential impact of a stressor and determine the adequacy of their coping resources.
Primary Appraisal:...
677
Bullying02:04

Bullying

A modern form of aggression is bullying. As you learn in your study of child development, socializing and playing with other children is beneficial for children’s psychological development. However, as you may have experienced as a child, not all play behavior has positive outcomes. Some children are aggressive and want to play roughly. Other children are selfish and do not want to share toys. One form of negative social interactions among children that has become a national concern is...
8.5K