Parental Violence Affects Kids' Mental Health

Children whose parents treat each other violently are more likely to have mental difficulties as adults finds a study from the National Institute of Health and Medical Research in Paris, France, reports Science Daily.

When researchers carried out in-person interviews with more than 3,000 adults they measured intimate partner violence, violence against children, lifetime suicide attempts and current level of depression.

Participants were also surveyed about any parental separation, divorce and death as well as alcoholism, financial stress and abuse they might have experienced during childhood.

After making adjustments for family and social stress factors, researchers found that adults who were exposed to parental violence were nearly five times more likely to mistreat their own child and three times more likely to be involved in conjugal violence. Additionally, they were 1.4 times more likely to develop depression. Of the group of participants surveyed, 16% had witnessed parental violence in their home growing up.Abusive Relationships

The findings appear in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. This information may be used in the future to better screen, and more importantly, prevent episodes of domestic violence before they begin by identifying those adults who may be most at risk for carrying out violent behavior in the home.