Mother–child emotion dialogues in families exposed to interparental violence. Issue 2 (2nd July 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Visser, Margreet; Overbeek, Mathilde M.; De Schipper, J. Clasien; Schoemaker, Kim; Lamers-Winkelman, Francien; Finkenauer, Catrin
• Is Part Of: Journal of child custody. Volume 13:Issue 2/3(2016)
• Page Start: 178
• Page End: 198
• Publication Date: 2016-07-02
• Subjects: Child maltreatment -- domestic violence -- parent-child emotion dialogues -- parent-child relationship -- parental posttraumatic stress; Custody of children -- Periodicals; 362.82
• DOI: 10.1080/15379418.2016.1153442
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1537-9418

Abstract

ABSTRACT: This cross-sectional study examined the hypothesis that parent–child emotion dialogues among interparental violence (IPV) exposed dyads ( n = 30; 4–12 years) show less quality than dialogues among nonexposed dyads ( n = 30; 4–12 years). Second, we examined whether parental posttraumatic stress symptoms and parental adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) were associated with the quality of the dialogues. As expected, in the IPV-exposed group, quality of mother–child emotion dialogues was of lesser quality; dyads often showed a lack of elaboration in their dialogue; mothers showed less sensitive guidance; and children showed less cooperation and exploration, compared to dialogues, dyads, mothers, and children in the nonexposed group. Although maternal posttraumatic stress symptoms and maternal history of ACEs were significantly higher in the IPV-exposed families than in the nonexposed families, these variables were not associated with the quality of emotion dialogues. Clinical implications and study limitations are discussed.