The relationship between witnessing parental conflict during childhood and later psychological adjustment among university students: Disentangling confounding risk factors

The purpose of the current study was to examine in detail the association between witnessing domestic violence (DV) and long-term psychological adjustment. Important limitations of past research were addressed, including controlling for several associated risk factors. Special attention was paid to whether the perpetrator of the violence was the maternal or paternal figure, as well as to whether the witness to the violence was male or female. Participants completed measures examining DV witnessed, direct child abuse experienced, and current psychopathology. Following screening for physical and sexual abuse, a sample of 351 individuals was selected. Four groups of participants were compared. Results indicated that individuals who had witnessed either physical DV or major psychological DV had higher levels of psychopathology than individuals who reported witnessing minor psychological DV or controls. After controlling for direct psychological abuse experienced, witnessing DV remained a significant predictor of psychopathology for males but not for females.