Children of battered women: developmental delays and behavioral dysfunction

The extent of developmental delays and behavioral dysfunction in 47 children living in a Florida battered women's shelter was determined by the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales and the Connors Parent and Teacher Rating Scales. The extent of developmental delays and behavioral dysfunction in these child witnesses to family violence was then compared to the prevalence of such delays and dysfunction in normative comparison children. The children of the battered mothers were found to have significantly greater developmental delays and behavioral dysfunction than found in the comparison normative children. There were no differences between sexes or age groups.