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Source: Corinna Kaarlela
415-476-2557
14 August 1998
NEW TREATMENT APPROACH SHOWS POSITIVE RESULTS FOR "DOUBLE VICTIMS" OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
San Francisco -- Domestic violence is often a "double victim" crime involving a woman who is assaulted and her children who witness the event.
Studies have shown youngsters who undergo this experience tend to develop low self-esteem, and witnessing domestic violence as a child is the best predictor of becoming a perpetrator of domestic violence as an adult, says Alicia Lieberman, PhD, a child development specialist and associate professor of psychiatry at the University of California San Francisco.
Reporting here today (Friday, August 14) at the annual convention of the American Psychological Association, Lieberman said one of her goals is to break this cycle. She presented findings from the first phase of a research project studying the effectiveness of a new therapy approach that focuses on developing the relationship between the two victims: mother and child. This compares to a more standard approach that would treat each victim individually.
"The results to date are very encouraging, with positive behavior changes in both mother and child," Lieberman said. "Our most dramatic finding, which was a surprise, showed a significant increase in IQ score in a majority of children who completed the therapy."
The study was carried out through the UCSF Child Trauma Research Project, directed by Lieberman, at San Francisco General Hospital.
The treatment intervention consists of home visits once a week for 12 months by a therapist who meets with the mother and child. The emphasis is on resolving conflicts in the parent-child relationship, which in turn creates a setting where the mother is better able to facilitate the child’s development and the child’s readiness to learn and emotional resilience are enhanced, according to Lieberman.
The study involved 45 mother-child pairs. All of the women had been severely beaten, shot, knifed, and/or raped, and all the children--ages 3 to 5 years--had witnessed the assaults. Racial composition in both the mother and child groups included African-American, Latino, Asian-American, and Caucasian. Some participants in the children’s group also were mixed race. As a condition of entry into the study, a mother had to sever her romantic relationship with the perpetrator, although she would remain in the study if she decided to go back to him.
Study findings showed:
• Sixty-percent of the children completing treatment had increases in IQ ranging from 10 to 25 points over pre-treatment scores. These gains were related to improvements in the child’s ability to concentrate, to stay with a task, to cope with frustrations, and to cooperate with the examiners.
• At the end of treatment, only two children showed acute symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and in these two the condition had improved during treatment. Overall, all the children showed signs of anxiety, but it was manageable.
• Only one mother returned to the perpetrator during the course of treatment, and a second mother began a new relationship with a man who battered her but then ended it quickly. This contrasts with a common rate of 50 percent recidivism in domestic violence relationships.
• Fifty percent of mothers completing treatment no longer met the clinical diagnosis of PTSD. They often were anxious or sad, but they reported a better sense of control over negative emotions.
• The emotional quality of the relationship between mother and child showed substantial improvement between the beginning and end of treatment. Mothers reported fewer complaints about their children’s behavior, including instances of aggression.
According to Lieberman, the study, which now is continuing, has two major objectives: to determine the effects of witnessing domestic violence on a preschooler’s social and emotional development and learning ability, and to evaluate the effectiveness of a relationship-based treatment intervention in helping a child overcome his or her traumatic response to the incident.
"Younger children are more vulnerable to the long-lasting negative effects of witnessing domestic violence because their personalities are still in the process of being formed and their sense of human relationships is largely shaped by the influence of their parents," she said.
"In spite of this, there is a dearth of research on the impact of domestic violence on very young children, and there are no recognized treatment modalities designed to address the behavioral and mental health problems of young people," she added. "In the teen years, children who have witnessed domestic violence have much higher rates of delinquency, quitting school, and psychological problems."
Lieberman’s presentation was part of a symposium on attachment and behavior disorders in childhood.
The research team also includes Patricia Van Horn, PhD, and Vanessa Johnson, PhD, of the UCSF Child Trauma Research Project, who will report additional study findings at the APA meeting on Monday (August 17).
The study is supported by grants from the Miriam and Peter Haas Fund, the Harris Foundation, the North Foundation, and the Pinewood Foundation.
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