Intimate partner violence and maternal incarceration as cumulative risk for the development of child behavior problems

Abstract

The goal of the current study was to examine whether internalizing and externalizing behaviors in preschool aged children are increased, decreased, or remain consistent for children experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV) and maternal incarceration separately and for children experiencing these traumas concurrently. Data were drawn from the first, second, and third wave of the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (FFCWS), a nationally representative, stratified, multi-stage, probability sample of children. This study utilized independent variables of intimate partner violence and maternal incarceration and dependent variables of children’s internalizing and externalizing behavior problems as measured by the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). A series of Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression analyses were used to test each of the specific aims in the current study. All analyses controlled for child’s age, sex, and race and mother’s household income, education level, and marital status with child’s biological father. The hypotheses of increased behavior problems for children experiencing intimate partner violence exposure, maternal incarceration, or both events were not supported in the study’s findings. A list of possibilities for insignificant findings is discussed. However, overarching themes that contribute to the literature on environmental disadvantages and risk factors were found. Scores predicted Hispanic children consistently had higher internalizing behaviors problems and boys had higher levels of externalizing behavior problems. Mother’s education and relationship with child’s biological father at time of baseline were found to act as protective factors against negative behavioral problems for children.