Children exposed to intimate partner violence (IPV) are at risk for posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) and alterations in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis functioning. The current study investigated children's threat and self-blame appraisals about parental conflict as potential mechanisms leading to these adverse outcomes. Parent-child relationships were also examined. The sample consisted of 119 10-year-olds and their mothers who were recruited from the community as part of a larger study of IPV. Children's reports of IPV directed at their mother in the past year were not associated with PTSS; however, IPV exposure was associated with attenuated cortisol output in response to a social stressor. IPV exposure was also associated with greater threat appraisals and poorer quality parent-child relationships. These results provide further evidence that witnessing IPV is threatening for children, has negative consequences for parent-child relationships, and can impact children's HPA axis functioning.

中文翻译：

---

暴露于亲密伴侣暴力的儿童的冲突评估和创伤症状。

暴露于亲密伴侣暴力 (IPV) 的儿童面临创伤后应激症状 (PTSS) 和下丘脑-垂体-肾上腺 (HPA) 轴功能改变的风险。目前的研究调查了儿童对父母冲突的威胁和自责评估作为导致这些不良结果的潜在机制。还检查了亲子关系。样本包括 119 名 10 岁儿童及其母亲，他们是从社区招募的，作为更大范围的 IPV 研究的一部分。过去一年儿童针对母亲的 IPV 报告与 PTSS 无关；然而，IPV 暴露与对社会压力源的皮质醇输出减弱有关。IPV 暴露还与更大的威胁评估和更差的亲子关系质量有关。