Integrative review of effects on children of witnessing domestic violence.

The purpose of this study was to conduct an integrative review of research studies concerning the effects on children of witnessing domestic violence. Databases were selected from MEDLINE, CINAHL, Health, and PsychInfo. Inclusion criteria required primary research in refereed journals during the last two decades that focused on children who had witnessed domestic violence (n = 14 studies). A total of 912 children and their parents comprised the subjects of this review. General agreement existed in this literature that children from families with domestic violence tended to have more difficulties than children from nonviolent families. Multidisciplinary findings revealed that the effects of witnessing violence were serious, varied, and generally framed in emotional and behavioral manifestations. Implications of these effects for clinical nursing research are considerable and merit further study.