Twin Behavior: Intervening

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Domestic violence is a critical social problem that has an impact on every segment within the society. So many children just like Amee and Aaron, are at risk of witnessing domestic violence in their homes. The children who are exposed to the trauma associated with domestic violence have difficulties with both externalized and internalized behavior issues, academic functioning and social skills deficits. Children exposed to domestic violence react differently; some may act out while others end up withdrawing from their family and friends (Feerick, 2006). In this case we can see that Amee and Aaron have developed fear for their father and make sure they are careful not to annoy him. They have also become so aggressive at the playground which is becoming a serious issue. It is important to note that not every child exposed to domestic violence experience negative impacts. The risk levels of children and how they react to domestic violence differs as some exhibit a lot of resilience while others show some maladaptive adjustments. Therefore, children require support in their lives in order to be able to effectively cope and develop resiliency.

There are various supportive and psychoeducational approaches that can be used for intervention. Early intervention is an effective way of easing the impact that is associated with exposure associated with development of a child. This can be achieved by social service agencies, who work with abused parent and children exposed to the violence. Together, they can create a safety plan and get connected to resources that can be of help to them such as support groups and counselling. It helps a child exposed to domestic violence gain stability. It also assists in weakening of the impact of the exposure on the child. Early interventions include safety planning with the child and non-abusive parent, identification of other adults in the child’s life that can offer support and providing counselling for both the child and abused parent.

Another intervention is creation of domestic violence programs at community centers and schools. These programs have staff that is trained to assist children who have been exposed to domestic violence. The programs offer counselling and support groups that enable the children understand what they are going through and also be able to plan for their future (Jaffe, 2004). The programs also have child advocates who make abused parents see understand the negative impact of the abuse to children. It assists abused parents include the needs of the abused child into the safety plan of the family.

Another useful intervention is a trauma-informed approach. These are programs and services that can be established at community centers, schools, and applied by social service agencies. They are designed in such a way that they help to address and respond to the effects of traumatic stress on a child exposed to domestic violence. It also helps children build resiliency and hence lead to the prevention of further trauma. The approach means that service providers such as community centers, schools and social service agencies share goals and values and work towards identification and elimination of abuse that led to the trauma (Feerick, 2006).

There can also be the use of structured interventions. These are aimed at amelioration of development consequences of domestic violence exposure in a home that can be beneficial to a child (Jaffe, 2004). These interventions include techniques that can be applied in school such as problem solving role plays. They also include identifying feelings and safety measures through stories, videos, games and art projects. There can be structured group interventions where group members work together and discuss common problems they face and come up with emotional, social and behavioral skills that help in building resilience (Trice-Black& E, 2009).

Another approach would be the integration of differential approach into the intervention of domestic violence. Experts suggest that children exposed to domestic violence can benefit from engaging in domestic violence in the community. Differential approach allows for the use of more than one method of response when it comes to children exposed to domestic violence. Differential response practices put emphasis on assessing the situation in the family and determining whether one is bale to help the family while children are still at the home.

The aim of these interventions is to help children cope and become resilient after being exposed to domestic violence. Therefore, factors such as gender, diversity and ethics should be incorporated in the interventions used. Boys normally exhibit a lot of externalized behavior such as acting out and aggression while girls show internalized behavior such as depression and withdrawal. When designing these interventions, it is important to put these different responses by boys and girls in order to help them cope and develop resilience. Everyone is different in their own way and hence there exists a lot of diversity. When designing the interventions, it is important to put diversity into consideration so that it becomes easy to help everyone. Some people fear sharing their problems because they are afraid of how others might use this information. It is ethical to ensure that the interventions encourage confidentiality for the victims. There is need to ensure that information shared by a victim remains confidential and it is not shared with anyone without their consent.

References

Feerick, M. (2006). Children exposed to violence. Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes Pub.

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Jaffe, P. (2004). Protecting children from domestic violence: Strategies for community intervention. New York: Guilford Press.

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Trice-Black, S., & E., T. (2009). School-Based Group Interventions for Children Exposed to Domestic Violence. Journal of Family Violence, 233-233.