Children of Battered Women

Posttraumatic stress, clinical dysfunction, behavioral and emotional disorders--these are but a few of the problems faced by children encountering violence within the home. Until recently, however, most studies on spousal abuse have focused on adults, not children. Now, in Children of Battered Women, three distinguished researchers offer a detailed examination of what is perhaps the darkest side of family violence. After presenting a brief historical perspective, the authors consider the devastating impact of family violence on children, the links between violence and spouse abuse on child development and clinical dysfunction, children′s views of violence, and strategies for intervention and prevention. Several key topics are addressed including methods for assessing children and families, obstacles of identifying children, the roles of institutions and service agencies (including shelters), the courts, and the schools. The authors weave poignant cases, conceptual models of abuse and dysfunction, and empirical research to portray the scope of the problem. In addition to a review of several intervention strategies, the authors offer details on an intervention they have developed. The scholarship and sensitivity with which the topic is approached make this book an invaluable tool for researchers and practitioners working with these children. As such, psychologists, social workers, mental health professionals, lawyers, and policymakers will benefit from this impressive volume. "Children of Battered Women gives an informative look at the effects of domestic violence, intervention strategies, and preventative strategies. Educators, parents, and professional service workers would benefit from the information presented by the authors of this book." --Family Violence Bulletin The first to focus exclusively on the characteristics and the needs of the children of battered women. The authors′ longstanding history of work with children who have witnessed violence, attests to the appropriateness of their position as spokespersons on this issue. . . . Children of Battered Women makes a significant contribution to theory and intervention in the field of family violence. --The Canadian Journal of Community Mental Health "It usefully organises theoretical aspects around clinical findings in children who, as part of the spectrum of victims and survivors of abuse, form a significant part of clinical practice but often an insignificant part of standard textbooks. Adult mental health workers would find it equally useful as a reminder of the importance of this problem...