ABSTRACT
The study assessed the effects of frequent domestic conflicts and violence on social behavior and cognitive development of school children in the North Eastern States of Nigeria. It is generally observed by the researcher that young children between ages one to ten years old fall victim of circumstances that happen among family members.Ten objectives and research questions were formulated which include, to ascertain the prevalence of frequent domestic conflicts and violence and its effect on young children in the North Eastern states of Nigeria, identify the social behvaviours exhibited by school children from families with frequent domestic conflicts and violence in the study area. Nine null hypotheses were formulated and tested at 0.05 level of significance. Fifty five pre-school children and seventy three school age children out of the total sample of 357 were identified as subject for the study.Observation, oral interview and continuous assessment record were used to assess their social behavior and cognitive development.The findings revealed among othersthat there was 36.00% prevalence of frequent domestic conflict and violence in the study area and there was significant effect of these tendencies on the social behaviours and cognitive development of both pre-school and school age children in the North Eastern States of Nigeria. The study is significant to parents, teachers and care givers among other who spend most of their time with the children because it expose why and how children behave the way they do. Based on these findings, it is recommended that parents and grown up family members should be enlightened on the effects of frequent domestic conflicts and violence on their children so as to minimize the rate of the prevalence of frequent domestic conflicts and violence in homes and its negative effects on the children.