'Man hands on misery to man' - the effects of interpersonal violence on children

Research has shown that there is a link between child abuse and mental-health problems and a study of 3,023 people in Paris has suggested that violence between parents could also have an effect on the mental health of their children. Among the particpants in the study 16% said that they had witnessed inter-parental violence by the age of 18. Witnessing violence was eight times more likely where the parents were alcoholics and more likely in families with financial problems, serious parental disease, housing problems and unemployment. After adjusting for other factors the researchers found that children who were exposed to interparental violence were 1.4x more likely to have depression, 1.75 times more likely to be alcoholics, three times more likely to be involved in conjugal violence themselves and five times more likely to mistreat their own children.

You can read more about this research at

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090527210730.htm