Preprint Emotional Insecurity and Psychosocial Problems in Children Exposed to Family Violence: Exploring the Role of Well-Being at School

Children exposed to family violence (i.e. child abuse and neglect and intimate partner violence) are often emotionally insecure in their relationship with their parents, and develop psychosocial problems. Emotional insecurity increases the likelihood of psychosocial problems, and may affect adjustment in other contexts (e.g., school). Among children exposed to family violence, emotional insecurity may indirectly affect psychosocial problems through well-being at school (school connectedness, well-being with teachers, and well-being with classmates), or well-being at school may moderate the association between emotional insecurity and psychosocial problems. Participants were 317 Dutch children aged 8-17 years (53.3% girls, mean age 12.7 years) and their parents, recruited through child protection services. Participants completed questionnaires on family violence, emotional insecurity, well-being at school, and psychosocial problems between June 2021 and August 2022. Analyses were conducted using Structural Equation Modeling. More emotional insecurity and less well-being at school were both related to more psychosocial problems, but emotional insecurity was not related to well-being at school. Emotional insecurity did not indirectly affect psychosocial problems through well-being at school (β=0.01, p=.76) nor did well-being at school moderate (β=-.08, p=.14) the association between emotional insecurity and psychosocial problems in children exposed to family violence. This suggests that emotional insecurity and well-being at school each contribute independently to psychosocial problems. A longitudinal study should be conducted to fully understand how these aspects develop and relate in children exposed to family violence. Clinical support may focus on children’s emotional insecurity and well-being at school, in addition to reducing the violence.