Representations of family relationships and responses to parents\u27 marital conflict among children of battered women

This study described the children\u27s representations of family relationships and their responses to their parents marital conflict. Data was analyzed using qualitative content analysis. A semi-structured interview was given to 8- to 11-year old children of battered women who were referred to a women\u27s agency. The results showed that children represented their family relationships as unstable, disengaged and improving. Children who represented their parents marital relationship as unstable and disengaged mainly had disengaged father-child relationship. Conversely, these children maintained a close mother-child relationship despite some of their negative perceptions of the mother. Children responded to their parents marital conflict by getting involved, acting passively and/or comforting the mother their corresponding cognitive, emotional and behavioral responses in dealing with their parents marital conflict were described. Implications on the child and the family were discussed