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Sleep disruption and domestic violence: exploring the interconnections between mothers and children
Author(s) -
Humphreys Cathy,
Lowe Pam,
Williams Simon
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
child and family social work
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.912
H-Index - 57
eISSN - 1365-2206
pISSN - 1356-7500
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2206.2008.00575.x
Subject(s) - sleep (system call) , psychology , sleep patterns , domestic violence , developmental psychology , psychiatry , injury prevention , clinical psychology , poison control , medicine , medical emergency , electroencephalography , computer science , operating system
This paper argues that sleep disruption is both a strategy and an effect of violence and abuse which profoundly affects the lives of women and children. This paper traces the interconnections between the patterns of sleeping (not sleeping) for women and children living with and recovering from the effects of violence and abuse. It highlights the threat to the emotional and physical well‐being of children and women and provides a non‐pathologizing route into an exploration of one of the symptoms of trauma. It is based on a pilot study which interviewed 17 women, 14 of whom were mothers to 28 children. Mothers reported that many of their children experienced nightmares, bed‐wetting, night panics and disrupted sleep patterns. Recovery of the ability to sleep was often slow and uneven with interactive effects between women and children slowing progress.