Domestic violence is unfortunately an everyday occurrence across the country, but not many people understand the ramifications it has on witnesses. Research suggests that the experience could ultimately affect a child’s IQ score.
According to findings published in the journal Development and Psychopathology, extreme stress during childhood could affect an individual’s neurocognitive development. Domestic violence would be one of those instances.
The report found that children who were exposed to domestic violence in their households had an average of 8 points lower on their IQ scores compared to children who had not witnessed any such scenes growing up.
The study was done in response to the lack of research that was able to tie together dramatic events such as domestic violence and how it could affect a child in the long run.
Researchers point out that child exposure to domestic violence is somewhat common in America. The study reports that more than 40 percent of all domestic abuse cases are witnessed by children under 12 years old. This results in more than 10 million children exposed to violence each year.
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