Understanding the link between intimate partner violence exposure and children's self-regulation: The mediating role of parenting stress and warmth

Intimate partner violence (IPV), affecting approximately 16.3% of U.S. households annually, has detrimental effects on children who witness it, leading to psychological distress, developmental delays, and behavioral issues. Self-regulation, a critical skill in managing attention, emotions, and behaviors essential for cognitive and social development, may be significantly impacted. The negative associations between mothers' experience of IPV and child self-regulation necessitate the examination of the underlying mechanisms, particularly during the sensitive period of early childhood. This study utilized longitudinal data from the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study (N = 4338) to investigate the mediating pathways linking mothers' experience of IPV (maternal victimization experiences) during infancy with children's self-regulation at age five. Results suggested that IPV exposure during infancy was longitudinally and negatively associated with children's behavioral and attentional regulation. This association was mediated by elevated parenting stress and decreased maternal warmth. These findings highlight the importance of programs aimed at reducing IPV and supporting mothers affected by IPV, considering their vital roles in nurturing healthy child self-regulation skills.