Neglected Youth: Human Behavior In The Social Environment

Neglected Youth

Ashley M. Harris

Western Kentucky University

SWRK 330: Human Behavior in the Social Environment I

WKU-Elizabethtown

September 15 2015 

Neglected Youth

Childhood maltreatment is, and has always been one of the most pressing issues facing our youth. Whether it be physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, or neglect, the numbers show an alarming truth, our youngest and most vulnerable population are being highly mistreated and oppressed. For the purpose of this essay, I will pay particular attention to childhood maltreatment in the form of neglect, and what becomes of those that are neglected in childhood.

So what is childhood neglect?

When one thinks of the word neglect, usually what comes to mind is a

child or an animal being abandoned, however what some people fail to realize is that a child does not have to be left to be neglected, and in fact most cases of neglect come from situations where the child is still in the care of their guardian. Other cases of neglect can even include adults that are in a custodial role including teachers and religious leaders being neglectful. According to the “National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS) neglect comes in many forms including emotional neglect, physical neglect, educational neglect, and medical neglect.”(Children’s Bureau) Emotional neglect is when a child is not given the attention that they need to thrive, the child is either ignored, verbally abused, or taken advantage of. Physical neglect is when the child is not given sufficient necessities that are a vital part of life, including shelter, food, and even clothing, this form of neglect does not pertain to those that are poor and simply cannot afford certain things, it pertains to those that either have the means to provide and don’t, or to those that do not try to use outside resources to do so. Educational neglect is when a child is not given access to the educational resources that they need and that are appropriately designated in order for the child to thrive. Lastly, medical neglect, which is when a child is not given the proper medical attention that they need when there is a chance of detrimental effects, such as a possibly fatal emergency or a treatable disease or disability. Medical neglect does not pertain to those whose religious beliefs are against vaccinations.
What do the numbers say?
According to the Centers for disease control and prevention (CDC) “there were an estimated 678,932 victims of child abuse and neglect reported to Child Protective Services (CPS) in 2013 with 1,520 of those cases ending fatally, a majority of those cases being cases of neglect” (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), this number is truly alarming, especially considering that there are many instances of neglect that go unreported. Another alarming fact given by the CDC, “an estimated 27% of those cases where children under the age of three” with another large portion that are disabled. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) These percentages lead me to think that most cases of neglect are from the stresses that come with being a new a parent or guardian not financially grounded and not having financial resources, lack of educational resources especially those pertaining to how to be a parent, coupled with lack of a support group. A research study that was performed in 2012, seems to show exactly that. The study titled “Paternal Depression and Risk for Child Neglect in Father-Involved Families of Young Children” (Lee, S., Taylor, C., & Bellamy, J. 2012) examined cases where both parents were in the home and there were cases of neglect. Is was determined that “families that had a high rate of depression, economic hardship, and parental stress, especially when the father exhibits these things, had a higher rate of neglect than families without.” (Lee, S., Taylor, C., & Bellamy, J. (2012)
What are the short term effects of childhood neglect?
Childhood neglect has a wealth of short term effects on the victims.

Children who are medically and physically neglected may be unhygienic and susceptible to infections, viruses, cavities, as well as many other medical conditions. Therefore these children are often put in a position where they are a target that others who bully and further mistreat them. They may also be sluggish, and unable to concentrate and retain information due to lack of adequate nutrition and living conditions, putting them in positions where they are constantly behind other children their age, and many times put into special education class rooms, which is only further debilitating. Children who are emotionally neglected often times become withdrawn or angry therefore stunting their socialization and communication skills. Children who are educationally neglected are often not getting the adequate attention from their guardians in regards to homework and studying, therefore they fall behind so much that they are unable to catch up, often times being left

behind.
What are the long term effects of childhood neglect?
There is a plethora of long term effects that come when a child is neglected. Much research has been done on this subject, and the outcomes are alarming. One study conducted in 2015 titled “Avoidant Personality Disorder versus Social Phobia: The Significance of Childhood Neglect” (Eikenaes, I., Egeland, J., Hummelen, B., Wilberg, T. 2015) examined adults with “avoidant personality disorder, as well as social phobia”.
(Eikenaes, I., Egeland, J., Hummelen, B., Wilberg, T. 2015) The result of the study showed that many patients with avoidant personality disorder, which is a disorder in which people avoid situations where they have to socialize with others, and are consistently afraid of being rejected and criticized that they avoid all instance where this has the possibility of happening, had experienced neglect as children, most predominately physical neglect. Another study on this important issue titled “The Role of Childhood Neglect and Childhood Poverty in Predicting Mental Health, Academic Achievement and Crime in Adulthood” (Nikulina, V., Widom, C., & Czaja, S. 2011) showed that children who are neglected have a high chance of “developing PTSD as well as being arrested as adults.”
(Nikulina, V., Widom, C., & Czaja, S. 2011) Another research study was performed in 2007 titled “Childhood Neglect and Adulthood Involvement in HIV-Related Risk Behaviors” (Klein, H., Elifson, K., & Sterk, C. 2007) that discovered “women who were neglected during their childhood have a higher likely hood of partaking in risky behavior that puts them at a higher risk for contracting HIV/AIDS.” (Klein, H., Elifson, K., & Sterk, C. 2007) Just these three studies alone show the long term effects that neglect in childhood can cause, and the fact that neglectful situations are breeding grounds for future criminally minded people as well as people with severe mental and medical disorders, which in turn leads to these people being oppressed. These effects show just how much the acts of a parent or guardian can lead to the oppression of the child.
In summation, children who are physically, mentally, educationally, and medically neglected are being unfairly oppressed by the very people that are supposed to be there for them. Neglected children have a higher risk of becoming adults that are criminal minded, have mental disorders, and are lacking intelligence. Something has to be done about the treatment and oppression that out future generations are being subjected to.

References
Children’s Bureau. (2015). NCANDS Retrieved September 15, 2015, from
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/research-data-technology/reporting- systems/ncands
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2015, July 24). Child Maltreatment Prevention
Retrieved September 15, 2015, from http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/childmaltreatment/
Lee, S., Taylor, C., & Bellamy, J.

(2012) Paternal depression and risk for child neglect in father- involved families of young children,36, 461- 469 Retrieved September 15, 2015, from

WKU Libraries Database

http://tcna.primo.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com.libsrv.wku.edu/primo_library/WKU

Eikenaes, I., Egeland, J., Hummelen, B., Wilberg, T. (2015) Avoidant Personality Disorder versus

Social Phobia: The Significance of Childhood Neglect, 10, p.e0128737 Retrieved

September 15, 2015, from WKU Libraries Database

http://tcna.primo.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com.libsrv.wku.edu/primo_library/WKU

Nikulina, V., Widom, C., & Czaja, S. (2011) The Role of Childhood Neglect and Childhood Poverty

in Predicting Mental Health, Academic Achievement and Crime in Adulthood, 48,

Pp.309-321 Retrieved September 13, 2015, from WKU Libraries Database

http://tcna.primo.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com.libsrv.wku.edu/primo_library/WKU

Klein, H., Elifson, K., & Sterk, C. (2007) Childhood Neglect and Adulthood Involvement in HIV-

Related Risk Behaviors, 31, p.39-53 Retrieved September 13, 2015

from WKU Libraries

Database

http://tcna.primo.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com.libsrv.wku.edu/primo_library/WKU