Contributions to Parenting Under Stress for Women Who Have Experienced Intimate Partner Violence

One in four women experience intimate partner violence (IPV) in their lifetime. Most of these women are mothers, raising young children, and parenting them under stressful conditions. This study examined a variety of parenting practices, and evaluated the contribution of child and mother demographic variables, the level of violence experienced by the mother, as well as mothers' mental health, to the parenting practices of 172 women exposed to IPV from diverse ethno-racial groups. Results indicate socioeconomic variables make little contribution to variance in parenting practices, be they positive or negative. Yet younger child age, maternal depression, and traumatic stress contribute to variation in negative parenting in families with IPV. Implications for future study and clinical work are discussed.