RAISR4D Violence

Children exposed to interparental intimate partner violence: An examination of the health care situation in trauma outpatient clinics

20/05/2026

AI Summary

Social Compensation Act extends care to relatives of violence victims, explicitly including children exposed to interparental intimate partner violence.
Nationwide survey of 104 trauma outpatient clinics found domestic violence frequent in adult TOC yet only 30.3% of exposed children were referred to child-TOC.
High impairment and diagnosis rates in child-TOC; 57.7% showed symptom improvement; improving professional awareness and cooperation between adult and child TOC required.

Psychiatr Prax. 2026 May;53(4):182-188. doi: 10.1055/a-2835-8912. Epub 2026 May 19.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The new Social Compensation Act extends the care to relatives of victims of violence, including children exposed to interparental intimate partner violence (i-IPV).The German health care situation for rapid interventions in trauma outpatient clinics (TOC) remains unclear.

METHOD: A nationwide survey in N=104 participating TOC (N=234 invitations), examined the care of exposed children. At a child-TOC (c-TOC) the psychopathology and treatment success (N=71 children) were assessed.

RESULT: Domestic violence is frequent cause of consultation in adult TOC (a-TOC) but only 30.3% of the children were referred to c-TOC. There 74.7% were impaired in psychosocial functioning, 59.1% received a F43-diagnosis of ICD-10. 57.7% reached symptom improvement.

CONCLUSION: Children exposed to i-IPV are underrepresented in a-TOC. Improving professionals’ awareness and the cooperation between a-TOC and c-TOC are required.

PMID:42155522 | DOI:10.1055/a-2835-8912

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