Chronic violence is a growing problem in our society today as evidenced, among other factors, by the ever-increasing murder rate in many of our large urban centers in the United States. Emphasis has begun to be placed on chronic violence, causes that may contribute to it, and the impact of this violence on cities and the country at large. While concern has been expressed, we still have not addressed adequately, nor do we fully understand, the effects on the children who must grow up in environments where they are repeatedly being exposed to significant levels of violence.

Existing research on the effects of children's exposure to violence covers a broad range of community, family, and media violence. This research is relevant and useful to an examination of domestic violence in two key ways. First, understanding how exposure to various types of violence affects children and what best enables them to cope can point to important considerations when trying to help children cope with exposure to domestic violence in particular. And second, many families experiencing domestic violence are exposed to other types of violence as well. Exposure to violence on multiple levels can affect the parents' behavior and can compound the effects on children. This article begins with an overview of the extent of children's exposure to various types of violence, and then examines what is known about the effects of this exposure across the developmental continuum. Key protective factors for children exposed to violence are examined. Research indicates that the most important resource protecting children from the negative effects of exposure to violence is a strong relationship with a competent, caring, positive adult, most often a parent. Yet, when parents are themselves witnesses to or victims of violence, they may have difficulty fulfilling this role. In the final section, directions for future research are discussed.

Violence has been characterized as a "public health epidemic" in the United States. At the same time, children's witnessing of violence is frequently overlooked by law enforcement officers, families, and others at the time of a violent incident. Although mothers describe the panic and fear in their children and themselves when violence occurs, little research or clinical attention has focused on the potential impact on children of living under conditions of chronic community violence. The purpose of this article is to present an overview of available research and clinical understanding of the effects of exposure to violence on school-age and younger children. Suggestions for future research and public policy initiatives are offered.

Trauma symptoms, recovery patterns, and life stressors of children between the ages of 9 and 18 (n = 387) following Hurricane Katrina were assessed using an adapted version of the National Child Traumatic Stress Network Hurricane Assessment and Referral Tool for Children and Adolescents (National Child Traumatic Stress Network, 2005). Based on assessments 2 and 3 years after the hurricane, most children showed a decrease in posttraumatic stress and depression symptoms over time. Students were also classified into outcome trajectories of stress resistant, normal response and recovery, delayed breakdown, and breakdown without recovery (A. S. Masten & J. Obradovic, 2008). Age, gender, and life stressors were related to these recovery patterns. Overall, the findings highlight the importance of building and maintaining supportive relationships following disasters.

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