1944 - THE ROLE OF MOTHER-CHILD BOUNDARIES IN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHOLOGICAL ADJUSTMENT

Session: D06S043 - Trauma & Resilience 3
AUTHORS:
Erel Sema (Mersin University ~ Mersin ~ Turkey) , Uluç Sait (Hacettepe University ~ Ankara ~ Turkey)
Abstract text:
Domestic violence is a serious problem that negatively affects both the women who are exposed to it and the children who witness it. This study aimed to investigate the effects of domestic violence on mother-child boundaries and the psychological adjustment of adolescents. In line with this aim, 302 mother-adolescent pairs were recruited for the study. After conducting missing value and outlier analyses, data from 208 mother-adolescent pairs were included in the main analyses. Structural equation models examining the mediating role of boundary dissolutions in the relationship between domestic violence and adolescents' internalizing-externalizing problems were tested using AMOS. It was shown that boundary dissolutions fully mediated the relationship between adolescents' level of witnessing domestic violence and behavioral problems, and the model fit indices were at acceptable to good level (χ2 /df = 1.95, CFI = .95, RMSEA = .07). The indirect effect of the level of domestic violence reported by the mother on adolescents' behavioral problems was found to be significant through the mother's psychological symptoms and boundary dissolutions; the model fit indices were at acceptable to good level (χ2 / df = 1.37, CFI = .98, RMSEA = .04). The standardized estimates of boundary dissolutions in the relationship between domestic violence and adolescent problem behaviors were large for psychological control, infantilization, and hostile spousification (β = .75 - .86); moderate for triangulation and parentification (β =.40-.50); and small for enmeshment and adultification subscales (β =.24-.26). Findings indicated that boundary violations within the family are an important mechanism influencing adolescents' well-being in cases of domestic violence, and interventions targeting the establishment of healthy boundaries are therefore highly important.