Breaking the Cycle: Trauma-Informed Policy and Interventions for Vulnerable Youth Affected by Domestic Violence and Mental Health Issues in the United States
1 Department of Social Work, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville - Edwardsville, IL, USA.
2 Department of Development Policy, Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration, Ghana.
Research Article
World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 2024, 24(01), 2888-2899
Publication history:
Received on 16 September 2024; revised on 24 October 2024; accepted on 29 October 2024
Abstract:
The United States faces a key public health crisis at the intersection of domestic violence exposure and youth mental health. Between 3.3 million and 10 million children witness adult domestic violence annually, with 27.7% experiencing physical violence among parents aged 18. Nearly one in five young people experience major depressive episodes and 31.9% suffer from anxiety disorders. This study investigates trauma-informed policies and interventions for vulnerable youth affected by domestic violence and mental health issues, with emphasis on equity and systemic violence considerations. A narrative literature review was conducted across PubMed/MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, ERIC, Cochrane Library, Campbell Collaboration, Scopus and Web of Science from January 2017 to December 2025, which yielded 275 sources meeting inclusion criteria. The findings revealed that trauma-focused treatments such as Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy effectively reduce psychiatric symptoms, though access remains significantly limited for marginalized populations. The results also showed that school-based mental health interventions and integrated care models demonstrate substantial promise when properly implemented with adequate resources. The findings further revealed that child welfare and juvenile justice systems are beginning to integrate trauma-informed practices, yet rigorous evaluation of system-level changes remains insufficient. The results also showed that culturally responsive interventions tailored to specific community contexts yield better engagement and outcomes than standardized approaches. The study concludes that effective interventions must be theoretically grounded, culturally responsive, coordinated across systems and address structural impediments alongside individual trauma, which requires fundamental reforms to systems perpetuating inequalities among vulnerable youth populations.
Keywords:
Domestic violence; Youth mental health; Trauma-informed care; Trauma- and violence-informed care; Vulnerable youth; Adverse childhood events; Structural violence; Intervention research
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