Dysfunctional Family Research Paper

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INTRODUCTION ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤ To see the dysfunctional family is expected from time to time. They are found in a series on television, in the media, in the home one may visit and in the gossip one may hear. This family is usually identifiable as farce and amusing, it carries the type of presence some wish were around as they were growing up. However, for some children the dysfunctional family is their very life, and they are not very amused nor are they very grateful. In fact, they are being abused. The truth is that some dysfunctional families, those that are rather severely dysfunctional, are very simply abusive and neglectful families. Regrettably, for the children growing up in these severely dysfunctional families, emotional abuse and neglect …show more content…

This is because emotional abuse and neglect has physical, psychological, behavioral and societal consequences for the child. (LONG TERM CONSEQUENCES) For example, physical consequences include brain impairment and stagnant development, this is a special concern as the focal time of adolescence is within the near future. As a result of these physical consequences, psychological consequences may arise too like emotional immaturity and difficulties as well as cognitive delays. Moreover, these children are now at a higher risk of developing mental illnesses, behavioral issues and engaging in dangerous behaviors like drug abuse, unsafe sex and abusing others themselves too. (LONG TERM CONSEQUENCES) Luckily, this will not be the result for all emotionally abused and neglected children, but there are variables that may increase the chances of this fate. Variables include the child's age at the time of the abuse and neglect, the frequency, duration and severity of the abuse and neglect and the present relationship between the victim and perpetrator. (LONG TERM …show more content…

For example, having suffered from emotional abuse and neglect in their childhood many adult survivors believe that any abuse or unhealthy aspects they experience from one another in interpersonal or romantic relationships is their fault. This is because they have been led to believe and internalize abusive messages from their childhood. This is especially common in female survivors. Furthermore, some children never develop proper coping mechanisms during their childhood and it follows them into adolescence and adulthood. Though these coping mechanisms may have worked in their childhood, they now negatively impact daily functioning. Cognitive distortions also come into play during adolescence and adulthood, these distortions influence the way the survivor views the self and the world. They too increase the chances at emotional distress and the development of mental illnesses. (THE LONG SHADOW) A common behavioral indicator of a child being emotionally abused and neglected is antisocial behavior, and sadly social difficulties continue to manifest into adolescence and adulthood like attachment issues, aggression and inappropriate behavior. (LONG TERM

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