Traumatic events and maternal education as predictors of verbal ability for preschool children exposed to Intimate Partner Violence (IPV)
Abstract
Despite research on the effects of intimate partner violence (IPV) on children, little is known about its impact on cognitive development. In this study, 87 preschool-aged children and their mothers exposed to IPV within the last two years participated in interviews to ascertain verbal ability, history of violence, and exposure to trauma. When compared to a national sample of 1,700 same-age children not evaluated for exposure to traumatic events, children exposed to IPV scored significantly lower on verbal ability, as assessed with standardized measures. In order to understand variation in verbal ability, multiple regression models were tested. Both prior exposure to traumatic events and the level of mother's education were significant predictors of verbal ability. However, level of education mediated the relationship between traumatic events and the child's verbal ability. © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2009.
Publication Title
Journal of Family Violence
Recommended Citation
Graham-Bermann, S., Howell, K., Miller, L., Kwek, J., & Lilly, M. (2010). Traumatic events and maternal education as predictors of verbal ability for preschool children exposed to Intimate Partner Violence (IPV). Journal of Family Violence, 25 (4), 383-392. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-009-9299-3
