Co-Occurrence of Intimate Partner Violence Against Mothers and Maltreatment of Their Children With Behavioral Problems in Eastern Europe

This study looked at how often violence by a partner against mothers occurs together with mothers' maltreatment of their children. It involved mothers of children with behavioral problems in North Macedonia, Moldova and Romania. Most mothers reported child maltreatment, and nearly two thirds reported partner violence. Mothers who had experienced emotional partner violence reported more physical and emotional maltreatment of their children. A mother's own history of maltreatment and her child's behavior problems were linked to the two occurring together.

Key points

• Two samples of mothers of children with behavioral problems were assessed (N1 = 112, N2 = 701).
• Intimate partner violence was reported by 64% of mothers.
• Child maltreatment was reported by 96% of mothers, and co-occurrence of both by 63%.
• Mothers exposed to emotional partner violence reported more physical and emotional child maltreatment; those exposed to physical partner violence reported more physical child maltreatment.
• Mothers' own history of child maltreatment and children's behavior problems were associated with co-occurrence.

Limitations

The abstract does not describe how the samples were recruited or how the data were collected, so it is unclear how far the results apply beyond mothers of children with behavioral problems. The findings are associations and cannot show cause and effect.