Domestic violence and risk for mental health in childhood and adolescence

Literature shows that experiencing domestic violence in childhood and young adulthood is a risk for the development of psychopathology. This study used the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and found a prevalence of 65.5% of possibility of mental health problems in children and adolesce...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Psicologia, reflexão e crítica reflexão e crítica, 2015-04, Vol.28 (2), p.213
Main Authors: Hildebrand, Natália Amaral, Celeri, Eloisa Helena Rubello Valler, Morcillo, André Moreno, Zanolli, Maria de Lurdes
Format: Article
Language:Portuguese
Subjects:
Child psychology
Domestic violence
Mental health
Risk factors
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Literature shows that experiencing domestic violence in childhood and young adulthood is a risk for the development of psychopathology. This study used the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and found a prevalence of 65.5% of possibility of mental health problems in children and adolescents (4-16 years old) who were victims of domestic violence followed in Referral Services in a Brazilian city. The result found was considered high when compared to the general population. Domestic violence was observed as a risk factor for mental health problems among the studied children and adolescents, aggravated by caregivers' alcoholism or unemployment. No effective protective factors were found, mainly regarding the protection network. These results indicate the need for reassessing the effectiveness of specific programs in the areas of mental health and domestic violence.
ISSN:0102-7972
1678-7153
DOI:10.1590/1678-7153.201528201