Outcomes of Physical Abuse and Observation of Marital Violence Among Adolescents in Placement

Abstract

Self-reported indicators of well-being, attitudes toward violence, use of violence, substance abuse, and running away were studied among 101 male and female 13-to 18-year-olds from residential or youth shelter settings. The respondents come from predominantly White, low-income, multiproblem backgrounds. It was hypothesized that experiencing physical abuse and observation of marital violence would be positively associated with and have an additive effect on the measures studied. Analysis of variance was employed to compare four groups composed on the basis of exposure to physical abuse and/or marital violence. Males were found to have a significantly higher sense of well-being and were more likely to approve of violence, whereas females were more likely to have run away. Only one outcome variable was associated with abuse status: Well-being was significantly lower among those who had been abused and had witnessed spouse abuse, compared to the other three groups.