Child MaltreatmentChild Maltreatment

Susan AcostaSusan Acosta

PSY 341PSY 341

February 17, 2004February 17, 2004

Timeline of child maltreatmentTimeline of child maltreatment

Harsh discipline viewed as parent’s right Harsh discipline viewed as parent’s right and responsibilityand responsibility

Idea of child maltreatment is gaining Idea of child maltreatment is gaining worldwide recognitionworldwide recognition

About 3 million reports made annually to About 3 million reports made annually to child protective serviceschild protective services

DefinitionDefinition

Child maltreatment refers to four actsChild maltreatment refers to four acts Physical abusePhysical abuse Emotional abuseEmotional abuse Sexual abuseSexual abuse NeglectNeglect

UNICEF: persons under 18 years of age UNICEF: persons under 18 years of age who suffer occasional or habitual acts of who suffer occasional or habitual acts of violenceviolence

Physical abusePhysical abuse

World Health Organization (WHO)World Health Organization (WHO) Acts that result in actual or potential physical Acts that result in actual or potential physical

harm, resulting from an interaction that is harm, resulting from an interaction that is within the control of a parent or person in a within the control of a parent or person in a position of responsibility, power or trustposition of responsibility, power or trust

Emotional abuseEmotional abuse

Failure to provide a developmentally Failure to provide a developmentally appropriate, supportive environment, so appropriate, supportive environment, so that a child can establish a stable and full that a child can establish a stable and full range of emotional and social range of emotional and social competencies “commensurate with his or competencies “commensurate with his or her personal potential”her personal potential”

Sexual abuseSexual abuse

Involvement of a child in sexual activity Involvement of a child in sexual activity that he/she does not fully comprehend, is that he/she does not fully comprehend, is not able to give consent to, and that not able to give consent to, and that violates the laws or taboos of societyviolates the laws or taboos of society

NeglectNeglect

Failure to provide for a child in all Failure to provide for a child in all domains: physical and mental health, domains: physical and mental health, education, nutrition, shelter, and safe living education, nutrition, shelter, and safe living conditions, when the resources are conditions, when the resources are reasonably available to the family or reasonably available to the family or caretakerscaretakers

Maltreatment StatisticsMaltreatment Statistics

National Incidence Study of Child Abuse National Incidence Study of Child Abuse and Neglect (Sedlak & Broadhurst, 1995)and Neglect (Sedlak & Broadhurst, 1995) Overall rate of child maltreatment of over Overall rate of child maltreatment of over

1,500,0001,500,000Includes 750,000 cases of child abuse and Includes 750,000 cases of child abuse and 880,000 cases of neglect880,000 cases of neglect

Does not discriminate across gender, Does not discriminate across gender, language, religion, age, ethnicity, language, religion, age, ethnicity, disability, or sexual orientationdisability, or sexual orientation

Results of MaltreatmentResults of Maltreatment

Direct effects not yet fully understood, Direct effects not yet fully understood, although it is a significant risk factor for although it is a significant risk factor for psychopathologypsychopathology

Affects all aspects of developmentAffects all aspects of development

Family environmentFamily environment

Patterns seen across maltreatment typesPatterns seen across maltreatment types Family environment of coercion and abuse of Family environment of coercion and abuse of

powerpower Lower levels of prosocial behavior and verbal Lower levels of prosocial behavior and verbal

communicationcommunication Undervaluing of childrenUndervaluing of children Deviant affective displaysDeviant affective displays Maternal intrusiveness and non-Maternal intrusiveness and non-

responsivenessresponsiveness

Cognitive adaptationsCognitive adaptations

Maltreated children create defensive structure in Maltreated children create defensive structure in reaction to traumareaction to trauma Cognitive distortions, dissociation, cognitive vigilanceCognitive distortions, dissociation, cognitive vigilance

Hypervigilance: constant scanning of Hypervigilance: constant scanning of environment and development of ability to detect environment and development of ability to detect subtle variations in itsubtle variations in it

Dissociation: alter level of self-awareness in an Dissociation: alter level of self-awareness in an effort to escape an upsetting event or feelingeffort to escape an upsetting event or feeling Psychological escapePsychological escape

Social and emotional adjustmentsSocial and emotional adjustments

Maltreated children often suffer from low Maltreated children often suffer from low self-esteem, self-blame, and negative self-esteem, self-blame, and negative affect toward the selfaffect toward the self

Greater risk for peer rejectionGreater risk for peer rejection The longer maltreatment occurs, the greater The longer maltreatment occurs, the greater

the likelihood of rejection, perhaps because of the likelihood of rejection, perhaps because of tendency to engage in coercive, aggressive tendency to engage in coercive, aggressive interactions with peers as result of abuseinteractions with peers as result of abuse

Emotion regulationEmotion regulation

Involves ability to modify, redirect, and Involves ability to modify, redirect, and control emotionscontrol emotions

Maltreated children engage in efforts to Maltreated children engage in efforts to avoid, control or suppress emotionavoid, control or suppress emotion

Modulation difficulties: extreme depressive Modulation difficulties: extreme depressive reactions and intense angry outburstsreactions and intense angry outbursts

Internalizing behavior problemsInternalizing behavior problems

Overlap with risky behaviorsOverlap with risky behaviors

Increased likelihood to engage in a greater Increased likelihood to engage in a greater array of risky behaviorsarray of risky behaviors

Certain types of maltreatment associated Certain types of maltreatment associated with a greater number of sexual partners with a greater number of sexual partners and heavier alcohol consumptionand heavier alcohol consumption

Adult survivors likely to engage in Adult survivors likely to engage in substance abuse, criminal and antisocial substance abuse, criminal and antisocial behavior, and eating disordersbehavior, and eating disorders

Bolger et al., 1998Bolger et al., 1998

107 children (56 males, 52 females) from 107 children (56 males, 52 females) from the Charlottesville Longitudinal Study, the the Charlottesville Longitudinal Study, the Child Abuse and Neglect Information Child Abuse and Neglect Information System, and local files from departments System, and local files from departments of social services in Virginiaof social services in Virginia

Children grouped according to Children grouped according to maltreatment subtype and severitymaltreatment subtype and severity

Bolger et al, 1998Bolger et al, 1998

HypothesesHypotheses Physical abuse will be associated with low Physical abuse will be associated with low

self-esteemself-esteem Emotional maltreatment will result in Emotional maltreatment will result in

difficulties forming friendshipsdifficulties forming friendships and low and low self-esteemself-esteem

Bolger et al., 1998 FindingsBolger et al., 1998 Findings

Maltreated children reported to have less Maltreated children reported to have less satisfactory relationships with their peers and satisfactory relationships with their peers and create negative self-conceptscreate negative self-concepts

Physically abused children form less positive Physically abused children form less positive self-concepts and more likely to be viewed as self-concepts and more likely to be viewed as unpopular unpopular

Maltreated children form poor peer relationships, Maltreated children form poor peer relationships, found to produce later adjustment problems and found to produce later adjustment problems and antisocial behaviorantisocial behavior

Does abuse predict malfunction?Does abuse predict malfunction?

Many children and adolescents who suffer Many children and adolescents who suffer maltreatment become well-functioning maltreatment become well-functioning adultsadultsMaltreatment can also result in significant Maltreatment can also result in significant negative consequences that continue into negative consequences that continue into adulthoodadulthoodAlthough many survivors function well in Although many survivors function well in adulthood, others suffer serious adulthood, others suffer serious psychological distress and disturbancepsychological distress and disturbance

Why?Why?

Maltreating parents may fail to produce Maltreating parents may fail to produce opportunities for positive social interaction opportunities for positive social interaction for their childrenfor their children

Children who experienced a lack of Children who experienced a lack of parental supervision were less likely to be parental supervision were less likely to be accepted by peersaccepted by peers Tendency to engage in unskilled or Tendency to engage in unskilled or

aggressive behavioraggressive behavior

Possible buffersPossible buffers

Maltreating parents may fail to produce Maltreating parents may fail to produce opportunities for positive social interaction opportunities for positive social interaction for their childrenfor their children Opportunities found elsewhere (i.e., other Opportunities found elsewhere (i.e., other

family members, friends, teachers, etc.)family members, friends, teachers, etc.)

Maltreated children with best friends are Maltreated children with best friends are more likely to experience increased self-more likely to experience increased self-esteem and self-concept than other esteem and self-concept than other maltreated childrenmaltreated children

Current issuesCurrent issues

Improved identification of occurrence of Improved identification of occurrence of maltreatmentmaltreatment

Examination of its consequencesExamination of its consequences What determines effect of abuse?What determines effect of abuse?

Establishing adequate services and Establishing adequate services and supports for families and children to supports for families and children to protect from exploitation and harmprotect from exploitation and harm

How to make a reportHow to make a report

1 - 800 - 96ABUSE (1-800-962-2873)1 - 800 - 96ABUSE (1-800-962-2873) Provide the followingProvide the following Victim name, address or location, Victim name, address or location,

approximate age, race and sex approximate age, race and sex Signs or indications of harm or injury, Signs or indications of harm or injury,

including a physical description if possibleincluding a physical description if possible Relationship of the alleged possible Relationship of the alleged possible

responsible person to the victim. If the responsible person to the victim. If the relationship is unknown, a report will still be relationship is unknown, a report will still be taken if other reporting criteria are met. taken if other reporting criteria are met.

QuestionsQuestions

Define the four types of maltreatment? Define the four types of maltreatment? What are some features that of families in What are some features that of families in which maltreatment occurs? What are which maltreatment occurs? What are potential consequences of maltreatment? potential consequences of maltreatment? What did Bolger find were the What did Bolger find were the consequences of maltreatment? Why consequences of maltreatment? Why might these consequences occur? How might these consequences occur? How might a child be “buffered” from adverse might a child be “buffered” from adverse effects?effects?