Violence during Early Childhood and Child Development

Abstract

The authors study the effects of violence towards children on early childhood development. They contribute to the literature providing estimates of the effects of violence (verbal and/or physical) that control for child-mother unobserved characteristics. The researchers find that violence has negative effects on verbal skills (Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test) and socio-emotional development (Child Behavior Check List). They also find that violence affects girls in their vocabulary development and increases behavioral problems of both boys and girls, with stronger effects among boys; that the negative effects diminish as children get older; and that they are more harmful among children with less educated mothers.