Intimate partner violence exposure during infancy and social functioning in middle childhood: An Australian mother and child cohort study

Abstract

Social functioning of children with experiences of intimate partner violence (IPV) between caregivers in early childhood has received less attention than emotional–behavioral outcomes. Drawing on data from 1507 ten-year-old Australian-born children and their mothers participating in a community-based longitudinal study, this study examined the associations between IPV exposure during infancy and social development during middle childhood. IPV during the first 12 months of life was associated with lower social skills, higher peer problems, and peer victimization at age 10 years, while accounting for concurrent IPV. This study provides evidence for the long-term impacts of early-life IPV exposure on children's social functioning, and the importance of prevention and early intervention programs focused on social development following experiences of IPV.