Child Exposure to Domestic Violence: Risk Assessment, Protection Systems, and Psychosocial Interventions for Child and Family Well-Being

Dear Colleagues,

Children’s exposure to domestic violence is increasingly recognized as a major public health concern and social justice issue, with significant implications for child development, family functioning, and population health. Exposure to violence in the home is associated with increased risks of mental health disorders, behavioural difficulties, trauma-related symptoms, and long-term health inequalities across the life course. From a public health perspective, early identification, prevention, and coordinated responses across health, social, and justice systems are essential to mitigate these impacts and promote child and family well-being. Whether they experience violence directly or witness it in the home, children face a higher risk of trauma symptoms, attachment difficulties, and behavioural disorders. This exposure also intensifies parents psychosocial stress, affecting their well-being and reducing their capacity to provide consistent, responsive care [1]. Although there is a substantial body of research on adult victims, children are still too often overlooked as primary victims in research, policy, and practice.

This Special Issue invites submissions that advance understanding across three interrelated domains with clear implications for public health research, prevention strategies, and service systems:

(1) rigorous risk assessment approaches tailored to children and adolescents,

(2) integrated protection systems that safeguard children and families, and

(3) evidence-based psychosocial interventions that promote resilience and individual and population well-being.

Contributions should demonstrate how findings inform public health prevention, early identification, policy development, or service delivery aimed at reducing harm and improving outcomes for children exposed to domestic violence. Submissions are encouraged from multidisciplinary perspectives, bridging empirical research with policy, health systems, and practice.

Key Themes & Research Priorities

1. Child-Centred Risk Assessment (e.g. [2,3,4]).
• Systematic assessments of tools and frameworks for child and adolescent exposure to domestic violence, e.g., risk factors, cumulative adverse impact, and developmental outcomes.
• Qualitative insights into how children experience and articulate risk, including their participation in legal and protective decisions.
2. Protection Systems & Intersectoral Responses (e.g. [5]).
• Analyses of legal, social, health, and educational systems that engage in coordinated responses.
• Research on police, judicial and child protection practices that effectively prevent revictimization and address children’s developmental needs.
• Studies exploring training and procedural reforms that enhance the visibility and prioritization of children within domestic violence protocols.
3. Psychosocial Interventions & Family Well-being (e.g. [6])
• Assessments of trauma-informed, family-based, and resilience-oriented interventions that address children’s psychological needs and the mental health of other family members.
• Research on community-based supports, including shelters, educational programs, and innovative therapeutic modalities that mitigate long-term harm.
4. Intersectional & Contextual Analyses (e.g. [7])
• Studies examining how socioeconomic status, culture, race, and systemic inequities shape exposure risk, access to protection, and intervention outcomes.

In line with the scope of the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, all submissions must clearly articulate their public health relevance and implications. Manuscripts focusing on risk assessment tools or psychosocial interventions should explicitly discuss how their findings contribute to public health knowledge, prevention strategies, health or social service systems, or population-level outcomes for children and families affected by domestic violence.

We welcome a range of article types:

• Original Research Articles — quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods empirical studies.
• Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses — synthesizing evidence on risk assessment tools, intervention efficacy, and policy impact.
• Theoretical and Conceptual Papers — advancing frameworks for child-centred risk assessment, protection system design, or psychosocial support models.
• Policy Analyses and Case Studies — assessments of legal frameworks, protection systems, and multidisciplinary practices.
• Brief Reports and Practitioner Perspectives — insights from front-line professionals and translational reports that bridge research and practice.

This Special Issue invites interdisciplinary scholarship that advances scientific understanding and practical innovation to protect children exposed to domestic violence and enhance the well-being of other family members (e.g., siblings, caregivers). Particular emphasis is placed on research that informs public health prevention, early intervention, service coordination, and policy development aimed at reducing the population burden of domestic violence exposure among children.

References

1. Latzman, N. E., Casanueva, C., Brinton, J., & Forman-Hoffman, V. L. (2019). The promotion of well-being among children exposed to intimate partner violence: A systematic review of interventions. Campbell systematic reviews, 15(3), e1049. https://doi.org/10.1002/cl2.1049
2. Cunha, D., Leitão, M. E., & Sani, A. I. (2024). Domestic violence victimization risk assessment in children and adolescents: A systematic review. Social Sciences, 13(5), 259. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13050259
3. Azevedo, V., & Sani, A. (2017). «Ser ou não ouvida»: Perceções de crianças expostas à violência doméstica [‘To be heard or not to be heard’: Perceptions of children exposed to domestic violence]. Análise psicológica, 4(XXXV), 487–497. https://doi.org/10.14417/ap.1325
4. Chelles, L., & Sani, A. (2025). Avaliação de risco infantil em caso de violência doméstica. A criança tem voz? [Child risk assessment in cases of domestic violence]. In E. Magalhães, L. Monteiro, & M. M. Calheiros (Eds)., Crianças em Risco e Perigo: Contextos, Investigação e Intervenção [Does the child have a voice? Children at Risk and in Danger: Contexts, Investigation and Intervention] (Volume 7, pp. 153–175). Edições Sílabo.
5. Sani, A. I. & Carvalho, C. (2018). Violência doméstica e crianças em risco: Estudo empírico com autos da polícia portuguesa [Domestic violence and children at risk: Empirical study based on Portuguese police records]. Psicologia: Teoria e Pesquisa, 34, 1–8. https://dx.doi.org/10.1590/0102.3772e34417
6. Santos, I., & Sani, A. (2025). Mothers’ perceptions of interactions in animal-assisted activities with children exposed to domestic violence in shelters: A qualitative study. Social Sciences, 14(6), 393; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci14060393
7. Martins, P. C., Matos, C.D, & Sani, A.I. (2023). Parental stress and risk of child abuse: the role of socioeconomic status. Children & Youth Services Review, 148, 106879. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2023.106879 http://hdl.handle.net/10284/11665

Dr. Ana Isabel Sani
Dr. Maria Alzira Pimenta Dinis
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• public health
• violence prevention
• child exposure to domestic violence
• intimate partner violence (IPV)
• children as witnesses of violence
• risk assessment
• child protection systems
• safeguarding
• trauma-informed care
• psychosocial interventions
• maternal well-being
• parent–child relationship
• attachment
• child mental health
• developmental psychopathology
• resilience
• intergenerational transmission of violence
• family violence prevention
• multidisciplinary responses
• community-based services
• early intervention
• evidence-based practice