Children's exposure to intimate partner violence: A systematic review of measurement strategies

We conducted systematic review and content analysis of measurement strategies related to child exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV). We searched nine electronic databases and supplementary sources for studies published between January 1984 and March 2016. Eligible studies were those that described a measurement strategy that was administered to children between, but not limited to, age 0 and 17, or administered to individuals who could report on youth of this age range. Measures were examined against a taxonomy of IPV exposure (direct involvement, direct eyewitness, and indirect exposure) and the four subtypes of IPV (sexual violence, physical violence, stalking, and psychological aggression). Twenty-eight measures met criteria for inclusion in the review; 18 measures were original, and 10 were modifications of the Conflict Tactics Scales. The majority of measures were published after 2008, demonstrating the considerable progress made in developing and substantially modifying measures over the last decade. Nonetheless, findings suggest important discrepancies in measurement strategies used in research efforts. Relatively few measures assess children's direct involvement in IPV, exposure to coercive control, and sexual violence. No measures found in our review examined children's exposure to stalking. The implications of these findings for research are discussed.