This program of research comprises two research projects. The goal of the first project is to explore the effects of domestic violence on 8 to 12 year-old children. Four groups of subjects (n=110), each comprising approximately equal numbers of boys and girls, are defined by whether they are: (1) victims of physical abuse by one or both of their parents; (2) witnesses of spousal abuse; (3) both victims and witnesses of domestic violence; and (4) neither victims nor witnesses of domestic violence but have similar backgrounds. Data were obtained from the children, their parents, their homeroom teacher, and their peers. The focus is on the quality of the children's functioning at home, at school, and in the peer group, with attempts made to explore the intrapersonal (temperament; perceptions of responsibility and control) and exogenous (social support) factors that buffer some children while rendering others more vulnerable. Data collection took place in Israel and has been completed; comprehensive data analyses are currently underway. The goal of the second study is to assess the field reliability and validity of a system for eliciting and assessing statements by children who are alleged to have witnessed child sexual abuse. Three sites in Phoenix, Arizona, Marion County, Florida, and Johnson County, Kansas are providing video tapes of child interviews along with case files to establish case facts independent of the statements. Interjudge and test-retest reliability of Statement Validity Analysis (SVA) techniques will be examined. This study will also provide some basic data on children's development of verbal ability and memory for real-life events.
