Date
10-29-2026
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts in Human Services: Emphasis in Trauma, Resilience, & Self-Care Strategies
Department
Human Services
First Advisor
Jerrod Brown
Abstract
The purpose of this capstone paper was to educate and examine the impact of intimate partner homicide on child survivors, on traumatic losses that disrupt their emotional, social development, and educational well-being. Findings indicated that the mental health and long-term life trajectory for child survivors were varied by the developmental stage the child was affected, prior exposure to violence, placement stability, caregiver capacity, school advocacy, and access to specialized support services that were detrimental to children’s futures. Although coordinated family, school, and community-based care can promote stability, there is a lack of evidence limited by inconsistent identification of survivors and insufficient longitudinal research. For future research, it is recommended that systematic tracking such as data collection of effected child survivors, living placements after homicide, immediate mental health screenings, the level of education of child survivors, and the services that were provided documented to improve systems. These are crucial to guide individualized, sustained support across child development services, and for longitudinal research to better assist child survivors and professionals.