Academic Correlates of Exposure to Family Violence.

Children's exposure to family violence may lead to increased school difficulties, as shown in studies demonstrating the relationship between children's adjustment disorders and stressful family events. To examine the unique effects of violence on children's cognition, this study compared the academic performance and conflict levels of two groups of children, ages 6 to 12, and their mothers: those living in battered women's shelters and those in homeless shelters. Seventy-three families (113 children) from battered women's shelters and 55 families (82 children) from homeless shelters completed a variety of tests including the Conflict Tactics Scale, the General Health Questionnaire and the Child Behavior checklist. The children completed the Wide Range Achievement Test, the Digit Scan, and the Children's Locus of Control Scale. Few significant differences were found among the children's test results; in addition, the results were similar for homeless shelter children with no violence in their histories and for those with past exposure to violence (not within the past year). The prediction that extreme family violence would lead to extremely poor school performance also was not supported. Furthermore, when families were retested 10 months after leaving the battered women's shelter, no changes were found in children's cognitive performance. Although children in shelter situations do experience school difficulties, the data demonstrate that school performance is not uniquely affected by family violence. (Contains 12 references.) (CH)