Impact of Domestic Violence and Divorce on Child Mental Health

This research proposal presents a systematic review investigating the impact of domestic violence and parental divorce on children's mental health in the United Kingdom. The study aims to analyze the short-term and long-term psychological effects of these situations on children, considering the high rates of domestic violence and divorce within the UK. The methodology involves a systematic review of articles from databases such as PubMed and BMJ, incorporating both qualitative (interviews, focus groups) and quantitative (offline surveys) research methods. The research seeks to identify the implications for parents, schools, counseling systems, and the government, with the goal of increasing awareness and implementing more effective support systems for affected children. The proposal acknowledges limitations such as the exclusion of certain data and age groups, while also highlighting the potential for future research and dissemination of findings through various public health channels. The research questions focus on the impact of domestic violence and parental divorce on children's mental well-being, aiming to identify the short-term and long-term implications and to provide recommendations for improving the mental health of children facing family disturbances. The study's design includes systematic review to analyze the articles, and the research will be specified to articles dealing with child counseling along with excluding article from non-medical sources. The research methodology is the technique that as the pillar of the total research, it justified how the study will be executed, how data will be collected, they are going to be measured, and which process the conclusion will be calculated.

Public Health Research Methods:PUB016-6
RESEARCH PROPOSAL
A systematic review: Impact of domestic violence and parental
divorce on child's mental health in United Kingdom.

Abstract
This research focuses on investigating the domestic violence and divorce rates implications on
the children of the UK, as well as to investigate the short term, and long term effects of these
situations in the children. It is seen that the UK faces 1.32 million domestic violence cases and
faces divorce rates of 7.5% among 1000 men and 8.1% among women. Children are the hidden
effect of domestic abuse and in case these situations go on a daily basis it will create adverse
psychological effects on the children and they will generate anxiety, depression, loneliness, they
will try to be disconnected with society.
The methodology in this study is use of systematic review which involves analysis of different
articles relating to research topic. Interviews will be incorporated as primary qualitative research
and offline surveys and focus groups will be incorporated as the primary quantitative research.
Systematic review will be held in this research based on the different articles from the PubMed
and BMJ applying all the criteria of inclusion and exclusion. The implications of this study will
be greater awareness among the parents, schools, counselling systems and it will also increase
awareness of the UK government to include more efficient steps to help the children. There are
various limitations that include exclusion of both primary and secondary data, inclusion of 10-12
year children and exclusion of their parents. The future researchers will be properly benefited by
the findings of the research and will get a research framework also. Sound dissemination of this
research is also important to transmit the reliable information via National Health services,
Public Health of England, Journal of Public Health and British Medical Journal.
2

Table of Contents
1.0
1.0 Introduction............................................................................................................................ 4
1.1 Study background.............................................................................................................. 4
1.2 Literature background.........................................................................................................5
1.3 Rationale............................................................................................................................ 6
1.4 Research questions............................................................................................................9
1.5 Research aim..................................................................................................................... 9
1.6 Research objectives........................................................................................................... 9
2.0 Methodology.......................................................................................................................... 9
2.1 Design of the research.....................................................................................................10
2.2 Inclusion and exclusion criteria.........................................................................................10
2.3 Searching strategies.........................................................................................................11
2.4 Screening strategies.........................................................................................................12
2.5 Extraction of data ............................................................................................................ 12
2.6 Quality appraisal............................................................................................................... 12
2.7 Ethical consideration........................................................................................................13
2.8 Analysis ........................................................................................................................... 13
3.0 Discussion .......................................................................................................................... 15
3.1 Reflection on possible findings ........................................................................................15
3.2 Research limitations ........................................................................................................16
3.3 Dissemination .................................................................................................................. 17
4.0 Conclusion .......................................................................................................................... 17
4.1 Future research................................................................................................................ 18
4.2 Final thoughts................................................................................................................... 18
Reference list............................................................................................................................. 20
3

1.0 Introduction
1.1 Study background
Domestic violence and divorce seem to be the most prevailing case within the domain of the UK.
Looking at the statistics of the UK, as of 2019, 1316800 crimes were recorded by the police
overall. Among the mentioned number of crimes, 146219 were marked as domestic abuse
(Office for National Statistics, 2020). The statistics viably defines 24% increase of the damage
than the previous year (Office for National Statistics, 2020). It also depicts that domestic abuse is
capable of affecting 1 out of 4 men and 1 out of 6 women in their lifetime (Living without
Abuse, 2020). Hence, the abuse seems to be affecting the women population of the nation more
than the men population.
Figure 1: Domestic abuse in the UK
(Source: Office for National Statistics, 2020)
While, the rate of divorce also seems to be increasing and have been a significant cause for the
degrading mental constitution of the children. It can be observed that the average rate for
marriage within the nation seems to be 30 years (Office for National Statistics, 2020). However,
there appears to be an administrative reason behind the rising rate of divorce within the nation.
As per the statement of Abel et al. (2019), it seems to be affecting the minds of the children, and
thus the children seem to be facing a mental disorder. It is because observing the abuse in front
of the eyes, along with the separation of the parents seems to create pressure within the spiritual
4

condition of the children. It also appears to be affecting the inner peace within the children
(Afzelius et al. 2017). The prevailing situation is affective in impacting on the career of the
children and also seems to be degrading their nature and outlook. Hence, divorce, along with
domestic abuse appears to be the most common cause is affecting the mental condition of the
children within the domain of the UK.
1.2 Literature background
Figure 2: Literature background for methodology
(Source: Influenced by Abel et al. 2019)
From the above figure, it can be observed that articles will be selected along with the selection.
The research will be specified to articles dealing with child counselling along with excluding
article from non-medical sources. Articles will be selected based on the inclusion criteria. The
article will be included from sources such as Medline or PubMed, BMJ, EBSCO. Further,
5
Articles
Articles excluded
Exclude article from
non- medical sources
Articles included
Include from sources such
as Medline or Pubmed,
EBSCO
Articles selected
Criteria of inclusion
based on mental issue of
child from diverse case
and domestic abuse

articles will be selected from the chosen total literature sources based on the frequency of
appointment and popularity among the healthcare centres. It will be from the criteria of inclusion
based on mental issue of child from diverse case and domestic abuse. Based on the mentioned
criteria, the researchers will be able to analyse the impact of divorce and domestic violence on
the mental condition of the children. It will also be useful in analysing the current alongside
long-term impact within the mental state of the children in the UK.
1.3 Rationale
Gender-based violence on girls is common in the modern world also, underpinning the fact of
inequality and aggressively penetrated upon women. Domestic violence comes with several
forms such as human trafficking, slavery, sexual abuse, forced marriage and others (Refuge,
2020). Domestic violence is that resulted upon the women by their partner to obtain or control
the power. In the UK, at the end of 2019, there were 1.32 million cases of domestic violence got
accounted, and 746,219 cases were handled by police to arrest the accused (Office for National
Statistics, 2019). 2.4 million Cases of age 16 to 74 were also noted in March 2019, most of them
were women (1.6 million). Hence, this research is of importance in term of implication for
making policy. This is important for the reason that when study will take place relating to the
domestic violence then it will bring out data relating to problem. Hence, this will assist people in
analysing current situation and impact of divorce on child well- being and it will assist them in
making policy.
6

Figure 3: Percentage of adult victims
(Source: Office for National Statistics, 2019)
The proved accused people of domestic violence got increased 24% from the previous year.
There are 32 arrests per 100 reported crimes in the march of 2019, 39 police forces applied to
take care of the violence (Office for National Statistics, 2019). The charging decision of the
crown prosecution series fell by 11%, from the year of 2018 to 2019.
7

Figure 4: Domestic abuse from 16 to 59 years
(Source: Office for National Statistics, 2019)
On the other hand, the divorce rate in the UK is 7.5percent per 1000 men and 8.4 % per 1000
women in the year 2019. According to Bowcott (2019), Office for National Statistics stated that
the divorce rate got lowered dramatically, reported heterosexual divorce cases in 2018 was
90871, 10.6 % decreased from 2017. However, in same-sex couples, the divorce rate increased to
428 in 2018, compared to 228 in 2017.
8

Fi
gure 5: Divorce rate in UK
(Source: Bowcott, 2019)
Thus, it can be seen that domestic violence in the UK is increasing while the divorce rates
decreased. Still, both these toxic situations affect children's healthy lifestyle, thinking and leave a
permanent scratch that hunts people from childhood (van der Kolk, 2015). The importance of the
study is that it will investigate the true nature of a UK society structure, how the marriages are
working out, how children get affected due to their parents' bad marriage, how it becomes a long-
term effect on a child's psychological structure. Newspaper reports say that approximately
160,000 children are living through daily witnessing domestic abuse (BBC NEWS, 2018). In the
year of 2016 to 2017, there were 13400 cases while mothers left their husbands ' house with
14350 children. Greater awareness is also promoted in the schools where children can get the
lesson, how domestic abuse disrupts their wellbeing and ability of them to make and continue a
healthy relationship (BBC NEWS, 2018). Anxiety is one of the symptoms that a child can
generate through witnessing domestic violence every day. According to the chief executive of
women's aid, children are the hidden victims of domestic abuse, violence and also their parents'
9

divorces. Children witness about three-quarter of the abusive incidents (BBC NEWS, 2018). It
endangers their healthy thinking process, their mentality, concepts about certain things like
relationship, love, care, anxiety, personal identity concept and others (Office for National
Statistics, 2019). It can be said that this research will brighten the in-depth research background
of this study. It will give more theoretical results by highlighting real-time cases. This study will
also generate comprehensive information on the victims and abusers, their psychological
structure, habits. A map can be structured so that domestic violence, abuse, divorce can get
lowered in the UK in order to provide the children good future, health, education to be a good
human being.
1.4 Research questions
What is the impact of a domestic violence and failed marriage of parents on mental well- being
and health of children?
1.5 Research aim
The main aim is to study the impact of domestic violence and divorce effect on children and to
investigate the long-term impact of these abusive incidents on children's health, wellbeing and
psychological structure.
1.6 Research objectives
To investigate the implications of failed marriage on the mental health of the children of the UK.
To investigate the short term and long-term implications regarding domestic violence on the
upbringing of the Children in the UK.
To investigate the initiatives taken by the government to reduce domestic violence in the UK.
To predict recommendations for the betterment of mental health of children facing family
disturbance regarding higher domestic violence and divorce rates.
2.0 Methodology
The research methodology is the technique that as the pillar of the total research, it justified how
the study will be executed, how data will be collected. In this process, they are going to be
measured, and which process the conclusion will be calculated. In the words of Kothari (2004),
the research methodology is nothing but a set of philosophical foundations, principles and
techniques that will justify the efficiency of the information collected, analysed and resulted.
10

Figure 6: Research methodology
(Source: Kothari, 2004)
2.1 Design of the research
The anticipated design of the research that will be used in this study is a systematic review. This
particular design has been selected in this research as the study is involved with the response
interconnected with the health issue and healthcare through summarising substantiations from
numeral studies that have been demeanour on an unambiguous topic (Kothari, 2004). this
systematic review will be undertaken as this assist researcher in reviewing different articles
relating to the research topic. This will assist in developing greater insight and knowledge
relating to the impact of divorce and domestic-violence on mental health and well- being of their
children.
2.2 Inclusion and exclusion criteria
The criteria of exclusion and inclusion capitulate to the different criteria of the research. As
depicted by Flick (2015), criteria related to inclusion and exclusion of the research helps in
proper formation of a systematic review. The criteria of inclusion involve the sheer requirements
11

to be included in the research while the exclusion criteria depict the factors to be excluded for
deriving suitable outcomes of the research (Graue, 2015).
Criteria of inclusion
 Studies sampled child population.
 Conducted in the UK.
 Studies using primary studies.
 Interest outcome will be quantitatively calculated and reported mental issue of child.
 Studies published within the last 6 years ranging from 2016 to 2020. this will include all
the studies relating to domestic-violence or divorce and its impact over mental well-
being of children and will focus on both qualitative and quantitative study relating to this
topic. Only five year search period is undertaken as this provides a better and relevant
data relating to the research topic.
 Published in peer review journals.
 This study will also include using Boolean keyword search strategy as this assist in clear
searching. For example, failed marriage and impact on mental wellbeing of child.
 Journals having highly relevant to the topic.
 Studies including journals of Medline or PubMed, and EBSCO.
 Studies including high impact factor on the selected topic. Studies having proper representation of the data.
Criteria of exclusion
 Studies sampled adult population.
 Conducted outside the UK.
 Studies neither quantitative measured nor reported mental issue of child.
 Studies published before the last 6 years ranging before 2014.
 Studies using secondary studies with quantitative data and literature review.
 Studies not published in peer reviewed journals.
 Journals not relevant to the topic.
 Studies not including journals of Medline or PubMed, and EBSCO.
 Studies not including high impact factor on the selected topic.
 Studies not having proper representation of the data.
2.3 Searching strategies
12

The strategies of searching aim at highlighting the proposed technique for the derivation of the
desired results for the research (Fletcher, 2017). This will be effective in meeting the criteria of
inclusion as well as exclusion mentioned above. Keywords such as ‘mental impact on children’,
‘children of the UK’, ‘domestic abuse’, ‘divorce rate’ will be used for deriving the desired result.
In addition to this, Boolean operators will be used in this study. The Boolean operators like
AND, OR, NOT will be used. This will have used like for example domestic abuse AND impact
over child mental wellbeing. In addition to this another example is like divorce rate AND mental
impact on children.As depicted by Mackey and Gass (2015), Boolean operators tend to save time
and eliminate unsuitable results from the research. Moreover, the literature search of the study
will be based on a certain database including Medline or PubMed, EBSCO for accessing
academic institutions, AMED, public libraries, medical institutions, and CINAHL. Apparently,
e-journals from Bedfordshire University will be used through the manual searches in the library
(Powell, 2016). Google will also play a considerable part in the research facilitating greater
search in the research.
2.4 Screening strategies
Strategies of screening help in the evaluation of the exclusion and inclusion criterion of the study
for the derivation of the suitable database. Thornhill et al. (2019) commented that proper
strategies of screening will be based on the procedure that will be used for the selection of data.
After deriving the suitable literature, a final inclusion and exclusion will be performed for
deleting the desired number of information from the selected sources (Connelly, 2016). At the
final stage, a flow chart will be derived similar to the figure presented in the literature
background section (Refer to Fig. 2).
2.5 Extraction of data
The current research will be involved in the 15 primary studies after serving the overall literature
for the research. After the derivation of the desired literature, all the relevant information will be
extracted into a sheet of excel. That will be created with the help of Microsoft Office Word. The
table will include the methods of screening, data collection, author of the research papers, tiles
and others mentioned in the figure below.
13

Figure 7: Strategies of data extraction
(Source: Influenced by Orngreen and Levinsen, 2017)
2.6 Quality appraisal
Appraisal of quality helps in gathering proper data for the research. As illustrated by Orngreen
and Levinsen (2017), proper quality assists in delivering quality data that can contribute to
proper research outcomes. The judgement of the quality is based on the implemented research
design and approaches. However, as argued by Halcomb et al. (2015), proper assessment of the
quality also assists in the analysis of the quality of the data. Likelihood scales of moderate,
strong and weak will be used for the analysis of the quality. A score of 3 will be used for
moderate while 5 and 2 will be used for strong and weak (Brannen, 2017). Deriving a total score
of 20 or more than that will be classifying the research to be good and strong. However, a score
of 10 or below will be classifying the research to be of poor quality (Taherdoost, 2016).
Figure 8: Template for quality appraisal
(Source: Influenced by Mayer, 2015)
2.7 Ethical consideration
According to the privacy act 1988, the research information will be preserved and will not be
exposed to the external media at any cost. The sources of the research will stay anonymous
(Abrahams and Griffin, 2017). Everybody's case will be preserved and will not be mixed with
14

others. As influenced by Rumbold and Pierscionek (2017), data protection act 1988, will be also
incorporated to secure every child's data. Government permission will also be registered to work
on this case and to include a significant number of children in this research. As pointed by Noble
and Smith (2015), researchers should be creative and descriptive in deriving the data and
participating in the study.
2.8 Analysis
The achieved data will be analysed through a narrative synthesis analysis. Narrative synthetic
analysis has been chosen as it tends to gather data from incomparable variables. For instance, it
can help in analysing the design from different studies further ruling out systematic analysis
(Mayer, 2015). It uses statistical analysis for the combination of the quantitative results from
different studies and generates a suitable outcome. The question of the research will be focusing
on different factors further enabling the investigators to be critical and contemplative by the
combination of different studies within the research (Graue, 2015). According to the theme,
every statement of the research will be analysed. Through the application of narrative synthesis
analysis variable related data will be calculated, and the impacts of multiple variables will also
be measured. As proposed by Rutberg and Bouikidis (2018), the frequency, trend, impact,
categories, correlations with the research variables will be calculated to originate real-time
conclusions out of the research. The duration required for the task has been presented below.
Task Name Duration Start Finish Predecessors
1 Determining research aim
and objective 5 days Mon 2/22/21 Fri 2/26/21
2 Determining research
rationale 5 days Mon 3/1/21 Fri 3/5/21 1
3 Research methodology
planning 5 days Mon 3/8/21 Fri 3/12/21 2
4 Obtaining ethical
approval 30 days Mon 3/15/21 Fri 4/23/21 3
5 Data extraction 15 days Mon 4/26/21 Fri 5/14/21 4
6 Quality appraisal 20 days Mon 5/17/21 Fri 6/11/21 5
7 Data synthesis 15 days Mon 6/14/21 Fri 7/2/21 6
8 Data analysis 15 days Mon 7/5/21 Fri 7/23/21 6,7
9 Writing review 5 days Mon 7/5/21 Fri 7/9/21 7
10 Final changes 1 day Mon 7/5/21 Mon 7/5/21 7
15

11 Submission 1 day Mon 7/26/21 Mon 7/26/21 8
Figure 9: Gantt chart
3.0 Discussion
3.1 Reflection on possible findings
Through operating the whole research, children can feel uncomfortable, can feel feared to answer
any of the questions and can also feel restricted to share such thinking with a bunch of unknown
persons. As mentioned by Katz (2015), the time family members choose to show an unnatural,
and inappropriate part of themselves to their children, they also decide to incorporate some
psychological characteristics in them. The primary result of witnessing these kinds of domestic
abuses on a daily basis is that the child will gain anxiety about some uncommon facts that will
hunt them every time they will speak to new persons, or friends or daily (Cecil et al. 2017). They
will behave abnormally to participate in any kind of actions and will cut themselves from every
16

kind of social activity. Thus, depression is born in them, and they become more personal,
introverted, and quiet and assume things by themselves and others, it is more dangerous
(Kimball, 2016). In this case, precisely these situations can be observed, some children will be
too introvert to share these kinds of information with unknown persons, some can be stressed
about these daily facts and can burst into crying while telling them, some will be uncomfortable
at first, but with the profession of the discussion, they can try to participate in the research. In the
case of counsellors, they can be professional or can be too much attached to them, resulting in
becoming emotional or aggressive while telling the actual scenarios or problems (Orcher, 2016).
On the other hand, public health policy always targets to improve a population’s health outcomes
and mitigate the health problem occurring in those places, restructuring the health strategy in
those areas to get resulted in a disease-free locality. As opined by Thiara and Humphreys (2017),
domestic violence is also a kind of social disease, and health instructors should establish a clear-
cut concept of these cases happening in the UK. This research will also play an essential role in
mitigating this kind of social disease. This research can release data accumulated with the real-
time experience that the government will count to prevent this type of behaviour towards the
children. As influenced by Feinberg et al. (2016), with the released results of this research in the
articles or newspapers, this research will hold a contribution to impact a broad range of people
facing or susceptible to face these situations.
They will know how a child's childhood will be without the love of family, without the perfect
and efficient health, wellbeing or education, how can these abusive conditions affect the children
and how the changed behaviours of children can affect their life quality permanently. As
suggested by Hollis et al. (2017), it will increase the awareness among the parents, will increase
among the schools, counsellors to estimate such lessons or class routines that will be based on
evaluating however children are doing on their own, or to assess their family conditions based on
their behaviour in the schools or classes to help them restrict unhealthy symptoms from getting
embedded in the memory.
3.2 Research limitations
Only primary qualitative and quantitative research will be included in the study. Secondary
research could be included in this case to make the research more compact. With the secondary
research, the government data, local data, statistics, newspaper, article data could also be
included so that both audience and data-driven perspectives could be included in the study. As
17

pointed byvan der Kolk (2017), the inclusion of both theoretical and practical integration also
gives the researchers new findings or variables that would provide the researchers with in-depth
information. With the addition of both primary and secondary research, the data will be more
reliable, on the basis that the government would be more beneficial.
On the other hand, the inclusion of 10-12 years participants can also be a restriction (van der
Kolk, 2017). The reason underlying this fact is that children under this age are isolated and not in
position of understanding reason of domestic violence or divorce. Hence, because of this reason
children belonging to this age group was posing a limitation to the study. Children survey and
focus groups will have the main research data, in case children do not participate properly, then
most of the data will be missed out. Detailed research data will not be gained in case researchers
fail to approach children, in case researchers fail to extract proper information from them, in case
theory fails to present an easy and creative environment from them. The data should be obtained
from by creating a friendly and building environment, where they can mix positively, freely, thus
achieving reliable information from them will be easy (Cecil et al. 2017). Every child's
behaviour also should be appropriately noted so that their behavioural data can also be gained.
In the absence of these functions, the main focus of the research will be distracted to conclude
upon the implications in children due to domestic violence.
Additionally, data achieved from 10-12 years children will not be that reliable because they have
no maturity to feel upon an incident. They can just tell that they feel scared, or depressed, or
demotivated by the events of their presents, they will not be able to explain situations that
happen to them. As commented by Mayer (2015), the questions in the offline survey will also
have only the options of yes or no, thus information achieved from the survey will be not so
reliable also. Such as information obtained from the counsellors will be reliable because they
will have the concepts embedded in their brain and will have a vast set of data. In case parents of
the children could get involved, it would be more fruitful.
Figure 10: Limitations
(Source: Mayer, 2015)
3.3 Dissemination
Dissemination is an essential for every research because researches get performed to earn more
knowledge, to enlighten more possible issues, beneficial outcomes, possibilities of a factor or
18

variable (Barnham, 2015). Such as in this case, sound dissemination is required because it is a
case of social awareness, so more the dissemination more the positive outcomes can be
calculated by influencing a broad range of people. With the transmission of this data to the
national health organisations, newspapers, articles, conferences, journals, these research findings
can ultimately find its destination to remove the domestic abuse as well as to give the children an
amazing childhood they deserve.
The organisations and journals that are needed to target include
National Health Services
Public Health of England
Journal of Public Health
British Medical Journal
4.0 Conclusion
The rational part of the study demonstrated the importance of the research. It denoted that 1.32
million people in the UK have reported cases of domestic violence in the march of 2019. 2.4
million of the domestic abuse cases got calculated in March of 2019, 39 police forces got applied
in those cases. According to the Office for National Statistics, there are 8 million women, and 1.6
million men are domestic abused. On the other hand, 7.5% divorce cases got noticed per 1000
men, 8.4% of divorce cases got seen in the case of women. The study aims to construct how
many abusive domestic occurrences affect the children, and how it creates short term and long-
term implications on them. The methodology that will be incorporated in this study is the
primary qualitative and quantitative methodology.
Systematic review will be held in this research based on the 60 articles from the medical sources
and applying all the criteria of inclusion and exclusion. Graphs, charts and tables and thematic
analysis will be used in this research to malaise the table to find out correlation, trend, and
frequency of various variables. The children can or cannot participate in this study, lack of
creative and friendly environment will be needed to extract proper information.
However, they will be just 10-12 years old, so the achievement of appropriate, reliable
information cannot be assured. On the other hand, it will be based on only primary research, the
inclusion of secondary research would have made the research more compact. Inclusion of
parents could also help the research to be more inclusive, fruitful and significant. The possible
19

implications of this research include, greater awareness regarding the transmission of proper
health, wellbeing and educational practices among the children, awareness among the parents,
awareness among the schools and counselling services in providing more efficient level help for
needed children. As well as more government awareness can also be an effective implication.
4.1 Future research
Future researchers can use the reliable information of this study to be guided with national
statistics of domestic violence and can also gain a framework to facilitate their research. Future
research can also earn a primary concept of how children get affected from these kinds of
violence cases.
4.2 Final thoughts
The rate of domestic violence in the UK is pretty high, and children get impacted by these kinds
of actions committed by their parents. Thus, they lose their self-identity, normal human
behaviour and gain anxiety, depression and other factors that restrict their healthy psychological
growth. Therefore, the UK government should be more functional to take steps to normalise the
children's childhood in order to make them healthy and better human.
20

Reference list
Abel, K.M., Hope, H., Faulds, A. and Pierce, M., 2019. Promoting resilience in children and
adolescents living with parental mental illness (CAPRI): children are key to identifying
solutions. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 215(3), pp.513-515.
Abrahams, N. and Griffin, J., 2017. Privacy law: The end of a long road: Mandatory data breach
notification becomes law. LSJ: Law Society of NSW Journal, (32), pp.76.
Afzelius, M., Plantin, L. and Östman, M., 2017. Children of parents with serious mental illness:
The perspective of social workers. Practice, 29(4), pp.293-310.
Barnham, C., 2015. Quantitative and qualitative research: Perceptual foundations. International
Journal of Market Research, 57(6), pp.837-854.
BBC NEWS, 2018. Domestic abuse: 'Children are the hidden victims', BBC NEWS. Available at:
https://www.bbc.com/news/education-45941824 (Accessed on 7 May 2020).
Bowcott, 2019. Divorce rate falls for heterosexual couples in England and Wales, The Guardian.
Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/nov/29/divorce-rate-falls-for-
heterosexual-couples-in-england-and-wales (Accessed on 7 May 2020).
Brannen, J. ed., 2017.Mixing methods: Qualitative and quantitative research. Abingdon:
Routledge.
Cecil, C.A., Viding, E., Fearon, P., Glaser, D. and McCrory, E.J., 2017.Disentangling the mental
health impact of childhood abuse and neglect. Child Abuse & Neglect, 63, pp.106-119.
Connelly, L.M., 2016. Trustworthiness in qualitative research. Medical Surgical Nursing, 25(6),
pp.435-437.
Feinberg, M.E., Jones, D.E., Hostetler, M.L., Roettger, M.E., Paul, I.M. and Ehrenthal, D.B.,
2016. Couple-focused prevention at the transition to parenthood, a randomised trial: Effects on
coparenting, parenting, family violence, and parent and child adjustment. Prevention Science,
17(6), pp.751-764.
21

Fletcher, A.J., 2017. Applying critical realism in qualitative research: methodology meets
method. International journal of social research methodology, 20(2), pp.181-194.
Flick, U., 2015.Introducing research methodology: A beginner's guide to doing a research
project. U.K: Sage.
Flick, U., 2015.Introducing research methodology: A beginner's guide to doing a research
project.U. K: Sage.
Gabriel, Y., 2015. Reflexivity and beyond–a plea for imagination in qualitative research
methodology.Qualitative Research in Organisations and Management: An International
Journal.
Graue, C., 2015. Qualitative data analysis. International Journal of Sales, Retailing &
Marketing, 4(9), pp.5-14.
Halcomb, E.J. and Hickman, L., 2015. Mixed methods research.
Hartas, D. ed., 2015. Educational research and inquiry: Qualitative and quantitative approaches.
Bloomsbury Publishing.
Hollis, C., Falconer, C.J., Martin, J.L., Whittington, C., Stockton, S., Glazebrook, C. and Davies,
E.B., 2017. Annual Research Review: Digital health interventions for children and young people
with mental health problems–a systematic and meta‐review. Journal of Child Psychology and
Psychiatry, 58(4), pp.474-503.
Katz, E., 2015. Domestic violence, children's agency and mother–child relationships: Towards a
more advanced model. Children & Society, 29(1), pp.69-79.
Kimball, E., 2016. Edleson revisited: Reviewing children’s witnessing of domestic violence 15
years later. Journal of Family Violence, 31(5), pp.625-637.
Kothari, C.R., 2004. Research methodology: Methods and techniques. New Age International.
Living Without Abuse, 2020.Statistics, Living Without Abuse. Available at:
https://www.lwa.org.uk/understanding-abuse/statistics.htm(Accessed on 15 May 2020).
22

Mackey, A. and Gass, S.M., 2015. Second language research: Methodology and design.
Abingdon: Routledge.
Mayer, I., 2015. Qualitative research with a focus on qualitative data analysis. International
Journal of Sales, Retailing & Marketing, 4(9), pp.53-67.
Mayer, I., 2015. Qualitative research with a focus on qualitative data analysis. International
Journal of Sales, Retailing & Marketing, 4(9), pp.53-67.
Noble, H. and Smith, J., 2015.Issues of validity and reliability in qualitative research. Evidence-
based nursing, 18(2), pp.34-35.
Office for National Statistics, 2019. Domestic abuse prevalence and trends, England and Wales:
year ending March 2019, Office for National Statistics. Available at:
https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/articles/
domesticabuseprevalenceandtrendsenglandandwales/yearendingmarch2019(Accessed on 7 May
2020).
Office for National Statistics, 2020.Divorce, Office for National Statistics. Available at:
https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/
divorce(Accessed on 15 May 2020).
Office for National Statistics, 2020. Domestic abuse prevalence and trends, England and Wales:
year ending March 2019, Office for National Statistics. Available at:
https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/articles/
domesticabuseprevalenceandtrendsenglandandwales/yearendingmarch2019(Accessed on 15 May
2020).
Orcher, L.T., 2016. Conducting research: Social and behavioral science methods.
Abingdon:Routledge.
Orngreen, R. and Levinsen, K., 2017. Workshops as a Research Methodology. Electronic
Journal of E-learning, 15(1), pp.70-81.
23

Powell, E., Woodfield, L.A. and Nevill, A.A., 2016. Children’s physical activity levels during
primary school break times: A quantitative and qualitative research design. European Physical
Education Review, 22(1), pp.82-98.
Refuge, 2020.Recognising abuse, Refuge. Available at:
https://www.refuge.org.uk/our-work/forms-of-violence-and-abuse/domestic-violence/
recognising-abuse/(Accessed on 20 May 2020).
Rumbold, J.M.M. and Pierscionek, B., 2017. The effect of the general data protection regulation
on medical research. Journal of medical Internet research, 19(2), pp.e47.
Rutberg, S. and Bouikidis, C.D., 2018.Focusing on the fundamentals: A simplistic differentiation
between qualitative and quantitative research. Nephrology Nursing Journal, 45(2), pp.209-213.
Singh, S.P. and Tuomainen, H., 2015. Transition from child to adult mental health services:
needs, barriers, experiences and new models of care. World Psychiatry, 14(3), pp.358-361.
Taherdoost, H., 2016. Sampling methods in research methodology; how to choose a sampling
technique for research. How to Choose a Sampling Technique for Research (April 10, 2016).
Thiara, RK and Humphreys, C., 2017. Absent presence: The ongoing impact of men's violence
on the mother–child relationship. Child & Family Social Work, 22(1), pp.137-145.
Thornhill, A., Saunders, M. and Lewis, P., 2009.Research methods for business students.
Prentice Hall: London.
van der Kolk, B.A., 2017. This issue: child abuse & victimisation. Psychiatric Annals, 35(5),
pp.374-378.
24