Childhood exposure to family violence can lead to negative short-term and long-term
outcomes for health and wellbeing. These include impaired cognitive functioning, mental
illness, poorer academic outcomes, externalising (e.g. showing aggression toward others)
and internalising (e.g. experiencing fear, anxiety), behavioural issues, learning difficulties
and low self-esteem (Edleson, 1999; Kitzmann et al., 2003; Wolfe et al., 2003).
Research has also examined the relationship between childhood exposure to family violence and
perpetration of family violence in adulthood (Ehrensaft, 2003; Stith et al., 2000). Though
many studies have reported a positive association between these factors, methodological
weaknesses in these studies limit the potential to draw firm conclusions and discount
external influences (Kimber et al., 2018; Fergusson et al., 2006).
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