Concomitant Exposure to Animal Maltreatment and Socioemotional Adjustment among Children Exposed to Intimate Partner Violence: a Mixed Methods Study

This study uses a mixed-methods approach to examine how patterns of exposure to animal maltreatment (AM) are related to socioemotional adjustment among children ( N  = 291) recruited from intimate partner violence (IPV) services. First, latent profile analysis (LPA) was used to identify subgroups of...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of child & adolescent trauma 2018-09, Vol.11 (3), p.353-365
Main Authors: McDonald, Shelby Elaine, Cody, Anna M., Collins, Elizabeth A., Stim, Hilary T., Nicotera, Nicole, Ascione, Frank R., Williams, James Herbert
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Behavioral Science and Psychology
Child and School Psychology
Original
Original Article
Psychology
Public Health
Social Work
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Summary:This study uses a mixed-methods approach to examine how patterns of exposure to animal maltreatment (AM) are related to socioemotional adjustment among children ( N  = 291) recruited from intimate partner violence (IPV) services. First, latent profile analysis (LPA) was used to identify subgroups of children with similar patterns of socioemotional functioning. Next, qualitative data from mothers and children were analyzed to identify thematic patterns in AM exposure among two subgroups of children identified through the LPA: Asymptomatic children and children with Emotional and Behavioral Difficulties (EBD). Seven themes were identified. Overall, EBD children, when compared to Asymptomatic children, were more likely to: a) have been exposed to severe forms of violence against animals, b) have experienced direct victimization by an IPV perpetrator following an effort to protect a pet, and c) express justification and normalization of violence against pets. Implications of our findings for research and clinical practice are discussed.
ISSN:1936-1521
1936-153X
DOI:10.1007/s40653-017-0176-6