Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
More handpicked essays just for you.
The effects of child abuse and neglect
Effects of child abuse and neglect
The effects of child abuse and neglect
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Recommended: The effects of child abuse and neglect
Abuse of children has become a major social problem and a main cause of many people's suffering and personal problems. Neglect, physical abuse, and sexual abuse have an immediate and long-term effects on a child's development. The long-term effects of abuse and neglect of a child can be seen in psychiatric disorders, increased rates of substance abuse, and relationship difficulties. Child abuse and neglect is a huge problem. Parents who abuse are people who have been abused and neglected themselves as children(Long Term Consequences). There are links between neglect and abuse and later psychological, emotional, behavioral, and interpersonal disorders. The basis for this linkage is the impact that abuse and neglect have on brain development. Researchers have found important links between interpersonal experiences and neurobiological development. Children who have been sexually abused are at significant risk of developing anxiety disorders (2.0 times the average), major depressive disorders (3.4 times average), alcohol abuse (2.5 times average), drug abuse (3.8 times average), and anti-social behavior (4.3 times average)(Crouch). Generally the left hemisphere of the brain is the site of language, motor activity on the right side of the body, and logical thought based on language. The right hemisphere of the brain is responsible for motor activity on the left side of the body, context perceptions, and holistic perception. The orbito-frontal cortex (the part of the brain directly behind the eyes) is responsible for integrating emotional responses generated in the limbic system with higher cognitive functions, such as planning and language, in the cerebral cortex's prefrontal lobes(Culp). The left orbito-frontal cortex is responsible for memory creation while the right orbito-frontal cortex is responsible for memory retrieval. Healthy functioning requires an integrated right and left hemisphere. A substantial number of synaptic connections among brain cells develop during the first year of life. An integrated brain requires connections between the hemispheres by the corpus callosum. Abused and neglected children have smaller corpus callosum than non-abused children. Abused and neglected children have poorly integrated cerebral hemispheres. This poor integration of hemispheres and underdevelopment of the orbitofrontal cortex is the basis for such symptoms as... ... middle of paper ... ...ren. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 20(1), 49-65. Culp, R. E., Watkins, R. V., Lawrence, H., Letts, D., Kelly, D. J., & Rice, M. L. (1991). Maltreated children's language and speech development: Abused, neglected, and abused and neglected. First Language, 11(33), 377-389. Dong, M. (2004). The interrelatedness of multiple forms of childhood abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction. Child Abuse & Neglect, 28(7), 771-784. Greenfield, E. A. (2010). Child abuse as a life-course social determinant of adult health. Maturitas, 66(1), 51-55. Larkin, H. (2009). Adverse childhood experiences linked to health risk behaviors. Policy and Practice of Public Human Services, 67(3), 14-16. Sylvestre, A., & Mérette, C. (2010). Language delay in severely neglected children: A cumulative or specific effect of risk factors? Child Abuse & Neglect, 34(6), 414-428. Trickett, P. K., & McBride-Chang, C. (1995). The developmental impact of different forms of child abuse and neglect. Developmental Review 15, 311-337. Twardosz, S., & Lutzker, J. R. (2010). Child maltreatment and the developing brain: A review of neuroscience perspectives. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 15(1), 59-68.
Kilrain, Maureen V. “Developmental Trauma Disorder: the Effects of Child Abuse and Neglect.” Clinical Advisor, 29 June 2017, www.clinicaladvisor.com/features/child-maltreatment-and-dtd/article/654653.
McCoy, M. L., & Keen, S. M., (2009). Child abuse and neglect. New York: Psychology Press.
Odhayani, A, W., L., & Watson, W. (2013). Behavioural consequences of child abuse , vol. 59 No. 8, 831–836. Retrieved from http://www.cfp.ca/content/59/8/831.full
In conclusion, Child abuse and neglect is more common in children’s lives today. A child may be harmed and be right in front of us and we do not even know it. We have to watch out for the signs and symptoms to try and help a child out. We may not even realize it till it is too late. The effect can appear in all aspects of life, rather it being psychological or behavioral. These effects can range from anything such as minor physical injury, not getting along with others, or become aggressive and affect them later on in life.
ACEs is a great blueprint for preventing health risk behaviors and non-infectious diseases in adults. This type of prevention teaches individuals how mind-body practices can help families cope with toxic stressors and adversity. This can also contribute to stopping intergenerational cycles of abuse, neglect and household dysfunctions. (Finkelhor, Shattuck, Turner, & Hamby, 2012) argue that research using the ACE Study model has some important limitations, in part because of the retrospective way in which data on childhood adversities have been gathered. The average age of respondents when they supplied information about their childhood experiences was 55 to 57 years. As a result, it is hard to be certain, particularly from such a remote vantage, whether it is these particular childhood experiences or unmeasured covariates that are the most important predictors. This can be a major limitation in determining whether or not adverse childhood experiences played a factor in older adults age or if other variables play a factor in health risk behaviors and non-infectious
Understanding Child Abuse and Neglect. Pearson Education,
Today child neglect is the largest part of child abuse in the United States, and almost two-thirds of all reported cases in child protective services is neglect (Dubowitz). Before the 1970’s child abuse mostly referred to physical abuse; however, now it encompasses physical, emotional, and sexual abuse as well as neglect (Compton’s). Physical abuse is when a child is hurt by getting hit, punched, kicked, or any other form of beating by an adult (Compton’s). This abuse will only harm the child physically and though it is horrific and can lead to long term effects it will normally only lead to violence. Emotional abuse is when an adult is hateful to the child by calling him names, and another form of emotional abuse is when an adult is punishing a child in a way that will cause him mental trauma (Compton’s). Emotional abuse is terrible for the child’s self-esteem however they can go and learn that they are important to the world by their contributions. Sexual abuse is when a child is touched inappropriately or molested (Compton’s). This is detrimental to a child but in most cases the child will block this out for when they grow older it is like it never happened which will cause no harm to their mental state. Neglect is when an adult will not seek medical help for their child and will not provide them with food, shelter, clothing, or emotional support (Sullivan). This is where the real trauma takes place on a child. The child will not suffer from being hit but they suffer from starving until someone is kind enough to feed them or they die from malnutrition. The child will not suffer from a parent calling them names but they might never know if their parent knows their name or cares to even speak to th...
For our evidence based practice project, we chose the topic of child maltreatment. We wondered if child maltreatment affects the growth and development of school-age children. “The broad term child maltreatment includes intentional physical abuse or neglect, emotional abuse and neglect, and sexual abuse of children, usually by adults” (Perry, Hockenberry, Lowdermilk & Wilson, 2010, p. 1066). Child Protective Services agencies in the United States estimated that there were 900,000 children who were victims of child maltreatment in 2005. Of these confirmed cases, 17% were victims of physical abuse, 9% were victims of sexual abuse, 63% were victims of neglect, and 7% were victims of emotional abuse. The 2006 estimates indicated that about 1530 children died as a result of maltreatment (Perry, Hockenberry, Lowdermilk & Wilson, 2010, p. 1066). We hypothesized that child maltreatment does adversely affect the growth and development of school-age children.
According to Gary Fireman, neglect is the most frequently substantiated form of child maltreatment. Also, according the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as cited by Gary Fireman, approximately half of all cases of child maltreatment pertain to child neglect. There are four forms of child neglect: including physical, emotional, medical, and educational neglect. Out of these four forms, physical and emotional neglect are the most critical and important. Physical neglect is failing to protect from harm, and not being able to provide basic necessities. Emotional neglect is being unresponsive to a child’s need for support and protection. Physical neglect can be anything from failing to provide 24 hour care by leaving the child unattended for long periods of time to not being able to or inadequately provide food, shelter, clothing, and other basic necessities. Victims of child neglect are subject to permanent consequences after growing up enduring child neglect. Neglected children are at risk for delays in cognitive and language development, social and emotional withdrawal, anxiety symptoms, aggressive and inattentive behaviors, and lowered self esteem. Victims of child neglect are often unpopular, having difficulty forming and maintaining close attachments, and may have diminished capacity for coping with everyday demands. Victims are often diagnosed with at least one psychiatric disorder by adolescence. Victims of child neglect are more susceptible to lower scores on standardized tests, lower grades and, higher dropout rates. In cases of extreme neglect, the victim may suffer from developmental delays, failure to thrive, and unfortunately, in very serious cases for more vulnerable children, death. There are many factors that may lead to child neglect. Living in poverty and not having access to adequate health care are general factors that lead to child neglect. Overall, there are
This paper will investigate the abuse of children and some of the ways which young children are affected developmentally. I will try and present an overview of the major types of abuse but my big focus and most of my research has been to cover sexual abuse and its effect on development in young children and how it can affect brain development.
Chartier, M.J., Walker, J.R., Nalmark, B. (2009). Health Risk Behaviors and Mental Health Problems as Mediators of the Relationship Between Childhood Abuse and Adult Health, 847-854
“Child abuse casts a shadow the length of a lifetime” – Herbert Ward. Child neglect is one of the most serious public health problems in the world. In the United States alone, there are estimated to be atleast a million children who are neglected or abused. Child neglect can take a serious toll on the victims physically, mentally, and emotionally. Many of these victims tend to make poor choices in their lives because of neglect. Although the decisions they make are not completely their fault, it can lead to consequences such as prison sentances, substance addiction, and becoming abusers themselves. Unless well-educated, many child neglect victims are more likely to have troubled futures because of drug abuse and higher chance of committing crimes.
What distinguishes neglect from additional forms of maltreatment is its inherent omission of behaviour rather than a commission of behaviour, as in the case of physical or sexual abuses (Sagatun & Edwards, 1995; Zuravin, 1991). Over recent years, it has been increasingly recognized that child neglect has a more severe and adverse impact on children’s development than abuse (Hildyard and Wolfe 2002; Trickett and McBride-Chang 1995).
The effects of child abuse are multiple. The pain and trauma the abused child goes through is just a small part of how this cauldron of hidden depravity in our society affects all of us. Wrecked lives can be seen in persons of all ages and in all walks of life. Society as a whole is also effected by child abuse both in negative and positive ways. In this essay I will present some of the factor and results of this violent behavior on individuals as well as our culture.
One of the most obvious and damaging results of child abuse is death; however, research illustrating the effects on a growing child who has been abused has demonstrated many other lifelong negative factors (Felitti, Anda, Nordenberg, Williamson, Spitz, Edwards, Koss, Marks, 1998). In consonance children who suffer from abuse can show signs of depression, social withdraw, and even violent behavior. As a child grows older, they may suffer from poor physical health, such as high blood pressure, obesity, stress, and psychological disorders and disabilities (Herronkohl, T., Hong, Klika, and Herronkohl, R., 2013). Child abuse and neglect have also been associated with depression, anger disorders, and post-traumatic