This study examines the clinical profile of children who have wit-nessed severe marital discord in comparison with clinic-referred and nonreferred normative children. The study attempts to increase understanding about childhood risk in the areas of behavioral problems and social competence, as well as the relationship of these factors to childhood psychological disorder. The primary question asked whether children who witness marital violence in the home are adversely affected in the areas of social competence and behavioral problems, which include both internalizing and externalizing behaviors. The results indicate that the witnessing group of children has lower social competence, has more behavior problems, and exhibits more internalizing and externalizing behaviors than the comparative normative sample.
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