Department of Psychology.
Nelda C. Stark College of Nursing, Texas Woman's University.
J Consult Clin Psychol. 2018 Jul;86(7):604-614. doi: 10.1037/ccp0000318.
This study examines whether fluctuation in mothers' posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSSs) predicts fluctuation in child adjustment problems in families seeking services for intimate partner violence (IPV).
Participants were 300 mothers (mean age = 30.65 years) of children (mean age = 6.88 years; 49% female) who were seeking shelter or legal services because of IPV. Most mothers identified as Hispanic (57%), followed by Black/African American (26%). Mothers reported PTSSs on a 7-item screening measure and reported child externalizing and internalizing problems on the Child Behavior Checklist. Mother and child functioning were assessed shortly after the mothers' requested services and then every 4 months for a 5-year period.
Eighty-one percent of mothers reported clinical levels of PTSSs at the initial assessment. As hypothesized, fluctuation in mothers' PTSSs predicted fluctuation in child externalizing and internalizing problems during the ensuing 4-month period. These relations, however, occurred within subjects but not between subjects. The within-subject associations emerged after accounting for IPV and mothers' depressive symptoms and were stronger for older children than younger children. The strength of the associations decreased over time.
Addressing women's trauma symptoms at the point of seeking services for IPV has possible implications for child mental health. Attempting to reduce mothers' PTSSs may have positive effects for women as well as their children. (PsycINFO Database Record
本研究考察了母亲创伤后应激症状（PTSS）的波动是否能预测寻求亲密伴侣暴力（IPV）服务的家庭中儿童适应问题的波动。
参与者为 300 名母亲（平均年龄=30.65 岁）及其子女（平均年龄=6.88 岁；49%为女性）。这些母亲因 IPV 寻求庇护所或法律服务。大多数母亲为西班牙裔（57%），其次是黑人/非裔美国人（26%）。母亲使用 7 项筛查措施报告 PTSS，使用儿童行为检查表报告儿童的外化和内化问题。在母亲提出服务请求后不久以及接下来的 5 年内每 4 个月评估一次母亲和儿童的功能。
81%的母亲在初始评估时报告存在临床水平的 PTSS。正如假设的那样，母亲 PTSS 的波动预测了随后 4 个月内儿童外化和内化问题的波动。然而，这些关系是在个体内部发生的，而不是在个体之间发生的。在考虑到 IPV 和母亲的抑郁症状后，出现了个体内部的关联，并且对于年龄较大的儿童比年龄较小的儿童更强。随着时间的推移，关联的强度会下降。
在寻求 IPV 服务时解决女性的创伤症状可能对儿童的心理健康有影响。尝试降低母亲的 PTSS 可能对女性及其子女都有积极的影响。
