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Article
The Relationship Between Protective Factors and Outcomes for Children Exposed to Violence
Violence and Victims (2013)
  • Laura J. Hickman, Portland State University
  • Dana Schultz
  • Lisa H. Jaycox
  • Claude Steodji
  • Aaron Kofner
  • Racine Harris
  • Dionne Barnes
Abstract
To develop prevention and intervention programs for children exposed to violence, it is necessary to understand what factors might help alleviate the negative effects of violence exposure. In this study, we sought to test whether relationships exist between certain protective factors and subsequent adjustment and to examine whether violence re-exposure contributed to changes in outcomes over time. The analyses revealed that caregiver reports of both child self-control and the quality of the parent–child relationship were related to changes in child posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and behavior problems. Furthermore, children experiencing more categories of violence re-exposure had increased behavior problems at follow-up compared to those without re-exposure. These findings advance our understanding of the relationship between these protective factors and outcomes for children exposed to violence and suggest that intervening to bolster these protective factors could improve outcomes.
Keywords
  • Children and violence -- Psychological aspects,
  • Family violence,
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder in children
Disciplines
Publication Date
September, 2013
Citation Information
Laura J. Hickman, Dana Schultz, Lisa H. Jaycox, Claude Steodji, et al.. "The Relationship Between Protective Factors and Outcomes for Children Exposed to Violence" Violence and Victims Vol. 28 Iss. 4 (2013)
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/laura_hickman/18/