Mental health outcomes of children exposed to domestic abuse in low- and middle-income countries

Child exposure to domestic abuse between adults is associated with negative health outcomes, including
poorer mental health, with an estimated 300 million children exposed to domestic abuse globally.
Despite this high number, and evidence from high income countries indicating exposure leads to
increased risk of psychiatric disorders, substance misuse, and are more likely to commit violent crimes in
adulthood, evidence on the scale, impact, and early appropriate intervention for affected children is
limited in low and middle income countries. This mixed methods study will examine mental health
outcomes for adolescents using multi-country datasets such as the CDC Violence Against Children
Survey, and the UN Multi-Country Study on Men and Violence in Asia in the South Pacific, combined with
an in-depth country analysis of Cambodia (including stakeholder interviews) with the aim to examine the
following research questions:
1) What is the prevalence of child exposure to domestic abuse in low and middle-income countries?
2) To what extent does child exposure to domestic abuse influence mental health, including substance
misuse, during adolescence?
3) What are the barriers and facilitators to implementing public health interventions that aim to improve
mental health outcomes for children exposed in Cambodia?
Through examining these questions, it is hoped that potential barriers and facilitators to providing
community interventions seeking to improve mental health outcomes for children exposed can be
provided.