Domestic violence’s impact on maternal–child relationship and child behavior: a nursing study from Egypt

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BACKGROUND: Domestic violence is a global public health concern that negatively affects maternal mental health, parent-child relationships, and child behavioral outcomes. Attachment theory suggests that disruptions in maternal sensitivity and caregiving due to violence can compromise children's emotional security and development. AIM: To evaluate the impact of domestic violence on maternal-child relationship quality and child behavior among pre-school and school-aged children in Egypt. DESIGN: Descriptive correlational study. SETTING: Maternal and Child Health Center, Assiut, Egypt. PARTICIPANTS: A convenience sample of 100 mothers with children aged 3-12 years. METHODS: Data collection involved a Personal Data Questionnaire, the Severity of Violence Against Women Scale, the Child Behavior Checklist, and the Post-Traumatic Stress Scale for Family Violence. Statistical analyses included Pearson correlation, Chi-square, logistic regression, and ANOVA to examine associations and predictors. RESULTS: Most mothers (58%) reported low levels of violence exposure. Severity of violence was strongly associated with maternal post-traumatic stress (r = .648, p < .001) and child behavioral problems (r = .650, p < .001) and negatively associated with mother-child relationship quality (r = -.185, p = .066). Regression analyses indicated that violence significantly predicted maternal PTSD and children's clinical behavioral concerns, whereas demographic factors such as child age and maternal education moderated mother-child relationship outcomes. CONCLUSION: Exposure to domestic violence adversely affects maternal mental health and children's behavioral outcomes, potentially compromising the mother-child relationship. These findings underscore the importance of interventions aimed at supporting maternal caregiving sensitivity, promoting secure parent-child attachment, and mitigating the effects of violence on family well-being in the Egyptian context.

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