Domestic Violence and the Mental Health of Children and Adolescents: A Meta-Analysis of Invisible Trauma (2010–2025)
Session
Psychology
Description
Domestic violence is a wound that does not bleed, yet it powerfully erodes the foundations of children’s mental and emotional development - often in silence, before the closed eyes of adults. This study presents a detailed meta-analysis of 103 international peerreviewed studies published between 2010 and 2025, systematically examining the association between various forms of family violence (physical, psychological, sexual, and neglect) and mental health disorders among children and adolescents. The findings show a robust and consistent statistical link between exposure to domestic violence and the emergence of PTSD, depression, conduct problems, and social hypersensitivity. Psychological violence appears particularly harmful, with a marked increase in internalizing symptoms, while sexual violence and neglect leave deep and lasting traces on emotional and neurocognitive development. Analyses further indicate that social support, early therapeutic intervention, and secure relationships with adults serve as significant protective factors that can meaningfully mitigate the traumatic effects of violence. This paper is not merely a collation of statistics - it confronts a reality too often hidden behind household doors. It calls on mental-health professionals, policymakers, and civil society to move beyond theoretical concern and to act decisively to identify, protect, and heal children who are harmed while growing up in violent environments.
Keywords:
Domestic violence, mental health, childhood trauma, PTSD, depression, adolescence, meta-analysis, protective factors, therapeutic interventions, emotional development
Proceedings Editor
Edmond Hajrizi
ISBN
978-9951-982-41-2
Location
UBT Lipjan, Kosovo
Start Date
25-10-2025 9:00 AM
End Date
26-10-2025 6:00 PM
DOI
10.33107/ubt-ic.2025.318
Recommended Citation
Pronaj, Adelina Ahmeti, "Domestic Violence and the Mental Health of Children and Adolescents: A Meta-Analysis of Invisible Trauma (2010–2025)" (2025). UBT International Conference. 6.
https://knowledgecenter.ubt-uni.net/conference/2025UBTIC/PSY/6
Domestic Violence and the Mental Health of Children and Adolescents: A Meta-Analysis of Invisible Trauma (2010–2025)
UBT Lipjan, Kosovo
Domestic violence is a wound that does not bleed, yet it powerfully erodes the foundations of children’s mental and emotional development - often in silence, before the closed eyes of adults. This study presents a detailed meta-analysis of 103 international peerreviewed studies published between 2010 and 2025, systematically examining the association between various forms of family violence (physical, psychological, sexual, and neglect) and mental health disorders among children and adolescents. The findings show a robust and consistent statistical link between exposure to domestic violence and the emergence of PTSD, depression, conduct problems, and social hypersensitivity. Psychological violence appears particularly harmful, with a marked increase in internalizing symptoms, while sexual violence and neglect leave deep and lasting traces on emotional and neurocognitive development. Analyses further indicate that social support, early therapeutic intervention, and secure relationships with adults serve as significant protective factors that can meaningfully mitigate the traumatic effects of violence. This paper is not merely a collation of statistics - it confronts a reality too often hidden behind household doors. It calls on mental-health professionals, policymakers, and civil society to move beyond theoretical concern and to act decisively to identify, protect, and heal children who are harmed while growing up in violent environments.