Think about family: A critical review of the intersection of child maltreatment and domestic violence

Background: The co-occurrence of child maltreatment and domestic violence is a significant public health problem in the United States. It is necessary to understand related factors, how services are provided to these families, and whether the services target one member or the family as a whole. Methods: A review of studies (1998-2008) was conducted using PsychInfo, EBSCO, and Social Science Abstracts. Results: Results indicate that families experiencing both DV and CM are often under-identified by the systems that serve them. Long-term under-identification can lead to significant negative outcomes for all family members. Other stressors in these families include substance abuse, mental health problems, and prior history of abuse. Families experiencing both forms of violence are often not referred for services that are different from those that they are already receiving, or more services than families experiencing one form of abuse. Conclusions: Living in an abusive home environment can lead to significant negative health and developmental outcomes, especially for children. When correctly identified, families experiencing both DV and CM are often assessed at higher levels of risk, but this does not always translate into more intense or frequent services. Careful consideration of both risk and protective factors and cross-system coordination of services that use a family-centered perspective are necessary, yet the ability to create system-wide change in this complex environment has proven challenging.