Three Nursing School researchers are conducting trials to test a Web site they developed that would offer support and information to families that have experienced domestic homicides. The Web site, which is being funded by a $275,000 grant from the National Institute of Mental Health, will offer other resources, advice from experts and a discussion forum to manage communication among affected families. If the site proves to be as helpful as expected, it will be an important resource dealing with an overlooked issue, said Asst. Nursing Prof. Kathryn Laughon, one of the researchers.
Another researcher, Nursing Prof. Barbara Parker, estimated that 4,000 children across the country have experienced the murder of one parent by the other. Laughon said the perpetrator of the crime, who is the father in the vast majority of cases, is sent to jail, essentially orphaning the children.
The number of children affected by domestic homicide is “at least as many kids as can get leukemia, and no one would question us about doing research on kids with leukemia,” Laughon said.
The total number of affected children cannot be known for sure, however, because there is no organization that systematically monitors or provides for the children and their extended families, Parker noted. As a result, she said, “these children very often fall between the cracks” and are sent away to foster care or to live with grieving and unprepared relatives.
Laughon said there has been very little research about what happens to these children who have “not only experienced a loss but have conflicted feelings about it.”
Parker, Laughon and Nursing Prof. Richard H. Steeves decided to develop the Web site following an earlier survey conducted by Parker and Steeves in which they extensively interviewed 87 adults who experienced domestic homicide as children.
They found, Laughon said, that extended families affected by domestic homicide often receive no assistance and are left with many questions about how to cope with the children, such as whether to bring the children to see the parent in jail.
The problem is compounded, Parker said, because children are psychologically affected by the murder — and often previous child abuse — but are told by the police not to talk about it if they are witnesses to the crime.
“It’s probably one of the most difficult situations you can imagine, because so many things complicate it,” Parker said. “Very often the children witness it or find the body ... or read about it in the newspaper the next day.”
Additionally, each family feels like it is the “only one,” Laughon said, a feeling the Web site will attempt to mitigate in addition to addressing guardians’ questions.
The Web site is only geared toward guardians of children, Parker said, because studies of children with other conditions have shown that the best way to help the children is to provide help to their guardians. The research, which will be conducted during a two-year period, will randomly divide volunteers into two groups, Parker said. One will have access to the Web site and peer support, while the control group will be given a list of other online resources. The researchers will then measure parenting stress and children’s coping behavior through survey-based research instruments, Laughon explained.
She said the researchers expect everyone’s stress related to the incident to decrease as time passes; however, those with access to the Web site are expected to have lower stress levels than those who are given a list of online resources.
If the Web site proves to be a success, it will be publicized and possibly maintained by the National Organization for Victim Assistance, which is currently involved in research for the study.
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