The mental health and service needs of young children exposed to domestic violence: Supportive data

As the visibility of domestic violence (DV) continues to increase, so too does our awareness of the needs of the children in violent families. This study documents the various needs and problems of over 40,000 children as reported by their battered caretakers. What follows is a description of the findings from data collected between 1990 and 1995 from approximately 50 DV agencies in a Midwestern state. The findings indicate that large proportions of children had emotional and social problems whereas about one quarter had physical health and educational difficulties. Common problems included being very protective of family members, discipline issues, mood swings, and difficulty leaving parents. The implications of these findings and ideas for future planning are identified.