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Cited by 111Intimate Partner and Family ViolenceChild Abuse and TraumaChild and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development

Witnessing domestic abuse in childhood as an independent risk factor for depressive symptoms in young adulthood

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Russell, David, Springer, Kristen W., Greenfield, Emily A.·2010·Child Abuse & Neglect
DOI 10.1016/j.chiabu.2009.10.004PMC PMC2872053
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Abstract

Objective This study addresses the relationship between retrospective reports of witnessing domestic abuse in childhood and levels of depressive symptoms in young adulthood. We examine whether the association between having witnessed violence in childhood and depression is independent of having been the direct target of sexual and/or physical abuse, as well as other characteristics and experiences linked with family violence.Methods We used two waves of data collected from a sample of 1,175 young adults (ages 20-24) in Miami, Florida. Retrospective self-reports of witnessed abuse and measures of family context and adversities were obtained in 1998-2000. The respondents' level of depressive symptoms was assessed 2 years later in 2000-2002.Results Multivariate results indicate that frequently having witnessed domestic abuse predicts higher levels of depressive symptoms in young adulthood, independently of other risk factors for depression and family violence.Conclusion Results provide preliminary evidence that frequent exposure to domestic abuse is an independent risk factor for depressive symptoms in young adulthood.Practice implications Results support a renewed call for (a) increased attention to depression among children exposed to adults' interpersonal violence, and (b) greater efforts to bridge prevention and intervention efforts regarding domestic violence and child maltreatment.

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  • This vulnerability is especially pronounced after childhood interpersonal trauma or witnessing violence.

    “especially after experiencing a childhood interpersonal trauma or witnessing violence as a child (Brown et al., 1999; Russell et al., 2010).”

    From Effects of traumatic experiences on obsessive-compulsive and internalizing symptoms: The role of avoidance and mindfulness. (2018) · cites this paper as Russell et al., 2010

    The Results and Discussion (page unavailable) link frequent childhood witnessing of domestic abuse to greater depressive symptoms in young adulthood. The paper measures direct physical or sexual abuse as a control, but these passages do not establish the broader claim about vulnerability after childhood interpersonal trauma generally; its independent finding also concerns frequent witnessing of domestic abuse, not all witnessed violence. (LLM, conf=0.82)

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Authors
Russell, D., Springer, K. W., & Greenfield, E. A.
Affiliations
  • VNS Health (US)
  • Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey (US)
Corresponding author
Russell, David
ORCID
Venue
Child Abuse & Neglect
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2010-06
Volume
34
Issue
6
Pages
448-453
ISSN
0145-2134 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.chiabu.2009.10.004
PMC
PMC2872053
OpenAlex
W2045834332
Cited by
111
References
35
Citations by year
2026: 4 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 7 · 2015: 10 · 2014: 8 · 2013: 7 · 2012: 11
FWCI
8.44
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
Locations
  • Child Abuse & Neglect (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institute of Mental Health (T32MH016242)
  • National Institute on Drug Abuse (R01DA017693)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Health › Intimate Partner and Family Violence
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child Abuse and Trauma
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
Keywords
childhood exposure to violence, depressive symptoms, early adulthood, domestic violence, risk factors for depression, child abuse, domestic violence prevention
MeSH terms
Depression, Female, Florida, Humans, Interviews as Topic, Male, Retrospective Studies, Risk Factors, User-Computer Interface, Domestic Violence, Young Adult

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