EXPOSURE OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ON MENTAL HEALTH AND COGNITIVE STYLE OF CHILDREN
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17720/tj396r23Keywords:
Domestic violence, mental health, cognitive style, adolescents, demographic factors, Pakistan, comparative research, mental health inventory, cognitive style inventory, sleep deprivation actorsAbstract
Background: Domestic violence has profound effects on adolescents' mental health and cognitive styles. This study explores the impact of domestic violence on these variables, considering various demographic factors.
Objective: To investigate the relationship between domestic violence exposure and its effects on mental health and cognitive style among adolescents and to assess how demographic variables influence these outcomes.
Methods: A comparative research design was used with a convenience sample of 200 adolescents aged 13-16 years from universities in Haripur, Pakistan. Participants, including 100 victims and 100 non-victims of domestic violence, completed self-administered questionnaires: the Mental Health Inventory, the Child Exposure to Domestic Violence Scale, and the Cognitive Style Inventory. Data were analyzed using SPSS 21, employing t-tests to assess differences, regression analysis to evaluate the effects on socioeconomic status and mental health, and Pearson correlation to explore relationships between variables.
Results: Significant differences were found in domestic violence exposure based on gender (males reported higher exposure), age (older adolescents experienced more violence), and family system (joint families reported more exposure). Victimized adolescents reported significantly higher mean violence exposure across gender, age, parental education, sibling count, family system, and residential area, with no significant differences in birth order or socioeconomic status. A strong negative correlation was found between domestic violence exposure and mental health (r = -0.597), while the correlation with cognitive style was weaker (r = -0.233). The relationship between mental health and cognitive style was minimal (r = -0.131).
Conclusion: Domestic violence significantly impacts adolescents' mental health, with notable differences across demographic factors. The study highlights the need for targeted interventions addressing the specific needs of affected groups. Future research should focus on longitudinal designs and objective measures to further understand these dynamics and improve intervention strategies.
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