The Social Functioning of Preschool-Age Children Whose Mothers Are Emotionally and Physically Abused

In this study, the social interactions and emotional adjustment of 21 preschool children of battered women and 25 same-age children from nonviolent homes were assessed. Mothers rated the frequency of emotional and physical abuse during the past year, their mental health, parenting qualities, and the child's adjustment. The free play of each child in a small group setting was evaluated by two observers on three separate occasions. The levels of emotion expression and regulation, interaction with peers and caregivers, and the observers' ratings of the child were assessed. Children who were exposed to parental violence had many more behavioral problems, exhibited significantly more negative affect, responded less appropriately to situations, were more aggressive with peers, and had more ambivalent relationships with their care-givers than those from nonviolent families. Regression analyses show that emotional abuse of the mother and mother's self-esteem were the most significant predictors of the child's adjustment and social behavior.