Psychological functioning of children in a battered women's shelter: a preliminary investigation.

Self-concept, anxiety level, and problem behavior of 65 child residents of a battered women's shelter were assessed using self-report measures and checklists completed by mothers, staff, and teachers. Findings included a below-average self-concept score for the preschool group, more aggressive behavior in school-age shelter boys than in girls, and a pervasive tendency for mothers to rate their children more negatively than did other observers.