目睹婚姻暴力對兒童身心發展影響涵蓋範圍甚廣，包括行爲、情緒、認知、自我概念、世界觀及人際關係等（Edleson 1999；Lemmey 2001；McCloskey 1999；Margolin and Elana 2000；Veenema 2001；洪素珍2003；黃群芳2003），這些影響甚至可能延續到成年。目睹婚姻暴力兒童（目睹兒）的心理創傷是有跡可循的，若能及早覺察其需求，並提供適當的協助，對於減少目睹兒因目睹婚姻暴力而造成日後青春期與成年期的負面影響有很大的幫助。多數情況下，婚姻暴力主要受害者是婦女一方。對於目睹兒來說，經歷婚暴的母親通常仍擔任其主要照顧者的角色。雖然母親身心創傷可能很嚴重，但是居於養育子女重要角色的地位，她們對目睹兒的需求仍最敏感。因此，本研究以曾經歷婚暴、且於婚暴期間育有目睹兒子女的婦女爲焦點團體訪談對象，探索其覺知目睹兒在婚暴經歷中的需求的經驗。不過，尚處於婚姻暴力的風暴期的婦女，由於本身仍處於危機狀態，覺察兒童的需求及所受到影響的敏感度將降低，不利於經驗值得取得，故本研究中邀請參與焦點訪談的母親都已經離開婚暴的危機狀態。在研究法方面，本研究將採取焦點團體法對接受參與研究的婦女進行訪談，以探索其經驗；採用紮根理論進行資料的分析，企圖從得到婚暴婦女照顧目睹兒的經驗的資料，近一步得到照顧目睹兒需求的理論。透過參與焦點團體的母親們的經驗資料分析，目睹兒所受到的主要傷害有：生理的成長、對安全的認知，以及情緒與行爲等；其需求則爲：需要安全的生存環境、被理解其壓力的需求、學習對暴力的認知、學習非暴力的人際關係，以及治療受創的情緒。因此，目睹兒不僅在認知上遭受創傷，情緒創傷也很嚴重；應該接受長期的，而不只短期的治療。而由於婚暴議題屬於公領域範圍，擴大社會對此的了解和參與，並整合相關資源加入協助系統，對於目睹兒復原有積極和正面的意義。

The aim of this study is to explore how the mothers who are involved in family violence perceive children's needs in such an environment. Witnessing violence between parents may affect children's emotions, behaviors, cognition development, interpersonal relationships and world views (Edleson 1999; Lemmey 2001; McCloskey 1999; Margolin 2000; Veenema 2001; 洪素珍 2003;黃群芳 2003). These effects may continue into adulthood. There fore, it is important to help children deal with the effects. Since the mother plays a significant role in caring for children, even when experiencing family violence, it is vital to study such mothers' understanding of their children's needs. A focus group was developed, in which mothers who have experienced significant family violence were invited to participate. The group discussed how participants understood and handled their children's needs during and after family violence. The main findings are as follows: The mothers indicated that the needs of their children include the desire for safe place to live, being understood, learning about the concept of violence, learning non-violent interpersonal relationships, and healing traumatic emotions. Their children's traumatic experiences affected their physical, behavioral and emotional developments, as well as their feelings about safety.