Adaptación escolar y problemas comportamentales y emocionales en menores expuestos a violencia de género

Abstract

In recent years, as gender violence has become more visible in Spain, so sensitivity to the needs of children exposed to this violence has increased. However, interventions usually focus on psychosocial rehabilitation of women rather than their children. The aim of this work is to analyse the behavioural and emotional problems of a sample of children living in shelters with their mothers after having suffered gender violence. The Child Behaviour Check List (CBCL) was used to analyse the behavioural and emotional problems of 46 children aged between six and sixteen (M = 11.15; SD = 2.6) living in shelters. An ad hoc Likert questionnaire was also designed to gather information about these children’s school adaptation. Behavioural and emotional problems were detected in most of the minors, as well as difficulties in academic performance and school adaptation. A relationship between behavioural and emotional problems and school adjustment was also observed. These results reflect the need for greater attention to the difficulties of children exposed to gender violence and show the importance of the educational sphere for early detection and support of these difficulties.