This article presents a review of the empirical literature examining the initial effects of witnessing domestic violence on children's functioning. Previous reviews of the literature suggested that witnessing was harmful to children, but they also indicated that the state of knowledge was quite limited due to an emphasis on exploratory methodologies, reliance on untested theories, and inconsistent findings. Nearly a decade of research has been conducted since the most recent review. Although results are still somewhat inconclusive regarding children's social, cognitive, and physical development, the findings of recently conducted investigations, when combined and compared with the previously reviewed literature, suggest much less equivocation concerning the negative effects of witnessing domestic violence on children's emotional and behavioral development. Theoretical developments and methodological refinements appear related to the recent findings.

Research on the relationship between exposure to family violence and functional adaptation in children has been inconsistent and inconclusive. In this study, exposure to family violence was correlated with vulnerability, resilience, and protective factors in a clinical sample of 60 children aged 8 through 11. Exposure was found to be related to children’s self-worth and to behavior problems. However, these relationships varied by gender, support, and type of functioning being measured. Exposure was positively correlated with behavioral problems among girls, and negatively correlated with self-worth among boys. High levels of support protected boys only from the effects of exposure.

Human-induced disasters have long been considered responsible for a wide array of physiological, psychological, and economic distress. This study examined depressive symptoms among victims of south Mississippi's methyl parathion disaster. Results indicated that irrespective of the level of methyl parathion contamination in respondents' dwellings, more than half the victims interviewed reported depressive symptoms at levels suggesting probable clinical depression. Those at greatest risk of depressive symptoms were people who had been exposed to the neurotoxin for the longest period of time, among whom there was an overrepresentation of women and African Americans. Despite high statistical levels of depression, few victims used mental health services. Implications for social work's response to human-induced disasters are provided.

Many benefits have been attributed to multidisciplinary team (MDT) approaches used in the investigation and resolution of child abuse and neglect. Yet more than a decade has passed since the nature and characteristics of MDTs have been examined. Findings presented in this article suggest that MDTs vary according to configuration, legislation, function, composition, and training. Current approaches are distinctive when compared with approaches found in previous national surveys. Specifically, the past 10 years have been characterized by the creation of a variety of MDT configurations, a dramatic expansion of legislation permitting or mandating MDT use, an increased diversity of MDT functions, a broader spectrum of discipline representation on MDTs, and an augmented use of training to implement and maintain MDTs. Results described here enable comparison with previous national surveys to shed light on the evolution of MDT system design and to suggest an agenda for future research.

The current state of knowledge, as indicated by existing literature, is extremely limited in terms of published descriptions of drug abuse prevention programs targeting high risk children, such as children from drug abusing families. A Cumulative Strategies Model posits four basic principals for effective prevention for high risk children and guides prevention program design. Representing a Cumulative Strategies Model, described herein is a multicomponent prevention program that is theory-driven, risk-based, and targets children affected by familial alcohol abuse. Three components of this program and specific methods of implementing each component are discussed, and field reactions are reviewed.