Article Title: Prevalence Of Anxiety Among Children Exposed To Inter-Parental Domestic Violence: Proportional Ratio Between Community Sample And Shelter Home Sample
Author(s): Haleema Khatoon, Aneela Maqsood, Farah Qadir, Fareed A. Minhas
Institute(s): Clinical Psychologist/ Research Associate, Institute of Psychiatry & WHO Collaborating Center, Benazir Bhutto Hospital, Rawalpindi; Department of Behavioral Sciences, Fatima Jinnah Women University, Rawalpindi-Pakistan²
Journal: Journal of Pakistan Psychiatric Society, 2014, Vol. 11, No. 1, p. 14-17
Correspondence Address: haleema.khatoon786@gmail.com
Abstract
Objective: To calculate the prevalence rate of anxiety among the children exposed to inter-parental domestic violence.
Design: Cross sectional study
Place And Duration Of Study: The study sample was taken from an urban community of Rawalpindi and a shelter home (Dar-ul-Falah). The duration of study was from January 2011 to June 2011.
Subjects And Methods: A total of 337 children was selected through non-probability convenient sampling technique; 111 children were selected from the shelter home and 226 children from the community. Anxiety and exposure to inter-parental domestic violence were assessed with State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and Children Exposure to Domestic Violence Scale (CEDVS).
Results: Prevalence of anxiety was estimated to be 65% in the shelter home and 51% in the community sample. Mean differences showed that the prevalence of anxiety is higher in females (M= 44.01; SD= 8.607) as compared to males (Mean= 40.88; SD= 8.487) while the differences were statistically significant (t=3.311; p< .001). Pearson product moment correlation showed that exposure to domestic violence has a significant positive correlation with anxiety (r= .334**).
Conclusion: There is high prevalence of anxiety among children exposed to inter-parental domestic violence and this prevalence is much higher among children living in shelter home than general community. Females are more susceptible to develop anxiety as compared to males. Exposure to domestic violence is a significant positive correlate of anxiety among the children.
Keywords: Domestic violence, Children, Anxiety, Inter-parental violence.
