Resilience in Children Exposed to Intimate Partner Violence: A Maternal Perspective

Intimate partner violence is associate with significant disruptions to children's emotional behavioural development. This thesis utilises a mixed methods design to explore resilience in children exposed to intimate partner violence. Drawing on a secondary data analysis of a large, longitudinal study of first time mothers and qualitative interview with mothers, results highlighted the important protective role which mothers often play. Specifically, mothers’ physical and mental health were identified as key protective factors for children exposed to intimate partner violence, underscoring the importance of accessible psychological and physical health services for women and children following experiences of intimate partner violence.