The Impact of Witnessing Domestic Violence on Adults’ Conflict Management Styles
Faculty Mentor
Sara Haden
Major/Area of Research
Psychology
Description
INTRODUCTION: Rates of domestic violence (DV) are high and can put children at greater risk for internalized behaviors later on in life that may affect their relationships (Stiles, 2002) and many children witness (DV) during their development (Amalia et al., 2025). As many as 46.2% (out of a study composed of 4903 children) report witnessing DV (Amalia et al., 2025). This impacts their ability to regulate their emotions and may lead to behavioral issues like anxiety, depression, or other behaviors within their relationships like bullying, etc. (Stiles, 2002). It is unclear how witnessing DV as a child affects ways in which adults manage conflicts, especially in relationships that mirror ones they witnessed growing up. The present study tested the hypothesis that individuals who have witnessed DV under the age of 18 are more likely to have an Avoiding or Dominating management style in comparison to those who have not witnessed DV in their childhood.
METHOD: Twenty-five adults completed surveys on witnessing DV using the Witnessing Domestic Violence Measure (Sirikantraporn, 2012) as well as the Maltreatment and Abuse Chronology of Exposure Scale (Teicher & Parigger, 2015) and their conflict management styles using the Conflict Management Styles Inventory (O’Neill et al., 2024). Participants were recruited from posters and online via a link. Their ages ranged from 18 to 23 (M = 20.40, SD = 1.39). The sample was composed of 30 female and 13 male participants of varying races including African American, Caucasian, Asian, about half also noted being Hispanic.
RESULTS: Out of the 43 participants who have completed the measures, the range of individuals who have witnessed DV, in any type of form, is 38 out of 43 individuals (M = 2.37, SD = 1.54) and the range of maltreatment is 17 out of the 43 individuals (M = 0.56, SD = 0.77) A correlation was run and there was a significant relationship between witnessing DV and maltreatment, therefore supporting the secondary hypothesis with results of r(41) = 0.59, p=0.001. Another correlation was run between the CMSI and both MACES and WDVM but the findings were not significant.
DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION: The findings from failed to support the primary hypothesis. Evidence shows that witnessing DV, as a child, does not necessarily mean one will have an Avoiding or Dominating management style later on in adulthood. The secondary hypothesis was supported, with the data showing that witnessing DV as a child can lead to experiencing higher rates of maltreatment. Findings from this data will help the Cycle of Violence Theory as the results of the correlation showed that with higher rates of maltreatment, there are higher rates of witnessing domestic violence, thus directly relating to the Cycle of Violence. However, the findings from the CMSI do not allow us to infer if witnessing DV can impact how one will handle conflict in adulthood.
The Impact of Witnessing Domestic Violence on Adults’ Conflict Management Styles
INTRODUCTION: Rates of domestic violence (DV) are high and can put children at greater risk for internalized behaviors later on in life that may affect their relationships (Stiles, 2002) and many children witness (DV) during their development (Amalia et al., 2025). As many as 46.2% (out of a study composed of 4903 children) report witnessing DV (Amalia et al., 2025). This impacts their ability to regulate their emotions and may lead to behavioral issues like anxiety, depression, or other behaviors within their relationships like bullying, etc. (Stiles, 2002). It is unclear how witnessing DV as a child affects ways in which adults manage conflicts, especially in relationships that mirror ones they witnessed growing up. The present study tested the hypothesis that individuals who have witnessed DV under the age of 18 are more likely to have an Avoiding or Dominating management style in comparison to those who have not witnessed DV in their childhood.
METHOD: Twenty-five adults completed surveys on witnessing DV using the Witnessing Domestic Violence Measure (Sirikantraporn, 2012) as well as the Maltreatment and Abuse Chronology of Exposure Scale (Teicher & Parigger, 2015) and their conflict management styles using the Conflict Management Styles Inventory (O’Neill et al., 2024). Participants were recruited from posters and online via a link. Their ages ranged from 18 to 23 (M = 20.40, SD = 1.39). The sample was composed of 30 female and 13 male participants of varying races including African American, Caucasian, Asian, about half also noted being Hispanic.
RESULTS: Out of the 43 participants who have completed the measures, the range of individuals who have witnessed DV, in any type of form, is 38 out of 43 individuals (M = 2.37, SD = 1.54) and the range of maltreatment is 17 out of the 43 individuals (M = 0.56, SD = 0.77) A correlation was run and there was a significant relationship between witnessing DV and maltreatment, therefore supporting the secondary hypothesis with results of r(41) = 0.59, p=0.001. Another correlation was run between the CMSI and both MACES and WDVM but the findings were not significant.
DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION: The findings from failed to support the primary hypothesis. Evidence shows that witnessing DV, as a child, does not necessarily mean one will have an Avoiding or Dominating management style later on in adulthood. The secondary hypothesis was supported, with the data showing that witnessing DV as a child can lead to experiencing higher rates of maltreatment. Findings from this data will help the Cycle of Violence Theory as the results of the correlation showed that with higher rates of maltreatment, there are higher rates of witnessing domestic violence, thus directly relating to the Cycle of Violence. However, the findings from the CMSI do not allow us to infer if witnessing DV can impact how one will handle conflict in adulthood.