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Aggression by Children Exposed to IPV: Exploring the Role of Child Depressive Symptoms, Trauma-Related Symptoms, & Warmth in Family Relationships

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Abstract

Multi-informant reports of aggression by siblings in families with and without a history of IPV were compared. Associations between aggressive behavior and child depressive and trauma-related symptoms, as well as maternal and sibling warmth were also explored. Mothers, observers and the siblings themselves reported on aggressive behaviour. Mothers reported on child trauma-related symptoms while children provided self-report on depressive symptoms and mother–child and sibling warmth. The frequency of observed aggression did not differ across groups on average, although more sibling dyads exposed to IPV engaged in aggression than those not exposed. Child reports of sibling aggression did not differ across groups but mothers reported significantly less aggressive behavior by children exposed to IPV than those not exposed. Regression results indicated that depressive and trauma-related symptoms were significant risk factors for aggression, while the role of mother–child and sibling warmth was more complex. Results were discussed within a developmental psychopathology framework.

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Notes

  1. These measures were administered to these age groups in order to be consistent with developmentally appropriate age cut-offs for other measures administered in the present study but not included here.

  2. Because exposed families tended to have a greater number of older male siblings, we conducted two sets of analyses; in the first set, older sibling sex was included as a covariate, and in the second set it was not. Results were similar when it was included. Reported results do not include older sibling sex as a covariate.

  3. We conducted two sets of analyses; in the first set, child age was controlled, and in the second set it was not. Results were similar for both sets of analyses. Reported results do not include child age as a variable.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Community Health Sciences, Max Rady College of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, R3T 2N2, Canada

    Caroline C. Piotrowski

  2. Applied Health Sciences Program, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada

    Margherita Cameranesi

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  1. Caroline C. Piotrowski
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  2. Margherita Cameranesi
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Correspondence to Caroline C. Piotrowski.

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Piotrowski, C.C., Cameranesi, M. Aggression by Children Exposed to IPV: Exploring the Role of Child Depressive Symptoms, Trauma-Related Symptoms, & Warmth in Family Relationships. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 49, 360–371 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-017-0755-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-017-0755-7

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