This section provides links to resources on assessing children exposed to domestic violence.
Assessment Tools for Children's Exposure to Violence (PDF - 469 KB)
Chamberlain (2016)
Futures Without Violence
Reviews assessment tools being used to evaluate children's exposure to violence.
Children Exposed to Intimate Partner Violence (PDF - 1,249 KB)
Postmus (2016)
National Resource Center for Healthy Marriage and Families
Explores the impact of witnessing intimate partner violence on children and approaches to addressing children who have been exposed to family violence.
Clinical Assessment Tools
American Academy of Pediatrics (2019)
Presents a list of assessment tools used in the field to identify children and youth who have been exposed to violence. These tools are specifically for use by pediatricians and health-care providers.
Domestic Violence and Child Abuse
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute, Center for Injury Research and Prevention (2019)
Explores the effects of intimate partner violence on children and the crossover between domestic violence and child abuse. The website also provides information on screening methods for intimate partner violence during clinical visits to help hospital staff can identify families and children at risk.
Review of Tools for Measuring Exposure to Adversity in Children and Adolescents (PDF - 830 KB)
Oh, Jerman, Boparai, Koita, Briner, Bucci, & Harris (2018)
Examines screening tools for measuring children's exposure to adversity in order to identify children at risk for developing a toxic stress response. The types of adversity children may have been exposed to included abuse and neglect, household dysfunction, exposure to violence, and more.
Screening and Intervention for Children Exposed to Family Violence (PDF - 405 KB)
The Children's Center on Family Violence, Connecticut Children's Medical Center (2017)
Discusses the problem of childhood exposure to family violence in the United States and the overlap of children witnessing intimate partner violence and experiencing other forms of child abuse. The resource includes a section on screening for family violence, which describes screening methods for women and how a public health approach with cross-sector collaboration could lead to higher rates of identification of family violence.
Updated Comprehensive Review of Interventions for Children Exposed to Domestic Violence (PDF - 1,167 KB)
Chamberlain (2018)
Futures Without Violence
Offers a web-based repository of interventions and resources related to children's exposure to domestic violence. The report lists an overview of 45 interventions that serve children and families starting on page 16 of the document.
What Tools Are Effective in Screening for Adverse Childhood Experiences Among Children? (PDF - 582 KB)
Academy Health & The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (2016)
Presents a list of nine measures that can be used to screen children enrolled in Medicaid for adverse childhood experiences, including exposure to violence. The screenings are meant to be administered by health-care professionals. The report includes a chart with descriptions of each measure, the intended audience, the types of adverse childhood experiences targeted, strengths, limitations, and other considerations.