Adverse Consequences Of Child Abuse Essay
Adverse Consequences Of Child Abuse Essay
Child abuse goes on around the world and is devastating for the youth it affects. Child abuse can include physical, sexual as well as emotional and verbal abuse. One of the many concerns about child abuse is that it leads to mental issues throughout one’s life. The main information about different forms of abuse like mental, physical and sexual as well as verbal is that there are big time after effects and physical well-being problems. This paper will discuss adverse consequences, estimates of the extent of the problem, and limitations/weaknesses pertaining to the data. Children that are abused experience major physical health consequences, psychological consequences and behavioral consequences because the trauma is that bad and becomes evident when dealing with society. Adverse Consequences Of Child Abuse Essay.
People that have been abused are more likely to have a tendency towards dangerous behaviors, promiscuity, problems with authority, and other problems with the law (National Institute of Mental Health, 2016). The trauma of abuse is hard to recover from and can drive one to develop Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) (National Institute of Mental Health, 2016). Going through anything that causes PTSD causes one to exhibit non-normal, negative habits pertaining to how they deal with the stresses of life. It can cause one to be aggressive towards others, shut down, have a nervous breakdown and exhibit many other forms of PTSD (National Institute of Mental Health, 2016). People that have been through trauma may relive their stressful past and may not be able to function properly just due to something someone says to them because it reminds them of the person that caused them stress; these are ongoing issues. Drug addicts live a hard life, often just getting through the day without the urge to use multiple times runs the course of their day (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2018).
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This does not happen overnight and can go on for weeks, months, or years depending upon the situation and how badly the addiction is. Children of drug addicts live life on the edge not knowing how their parents are going to treat them, where their parents are mentally during the day, or what mood they might be in and how this might affect them (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2018). Drugs alter a person’s perception of reality thus affecting how one treats the one around them like the children of drug addicts. Yelling, punching, hitting, and throwing can often occur in a household where the parents are using especially if they are coming off a substance (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2018). Adverse Consequences Of Child Abuse Essay. This can result in serious physical and/or psychological injuries and/or death. Abusive parents are more likely to physically abuse, sexually abuse, emotionally abuse or neglect their children (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2018). This is what can cause mental problems, stress that can last a lifetime, and even psychiatric disorders among these distressed youth. Physical abuse includes actions against an individual. Emotional abuse includes the failure of one to properly engage respectful and engage in supportive communication. Neglect involves not providing a safe nurturing environment. Society is adversely affected by children that have been abused in many ways. Youth that have been abused are more likely to act out causing fights in schools, have violent behavior, destructive actions towards themselves or others also addiction and criminal/delinquent activity (Child Welfare Information Gateway, 2013).
Persons that have been abused are more likely to repeat the cycle of emotional, physical, and any other form of abuse (Child Welfare Information Gateway, 2013). The mind games that can go on with abusive individuals can be detrimental towards their loved ones and anyone they come into contact with (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2018). Abused children are more likely to have problems in school, in jobs, and properly engaging in society (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2018). They are more likely to use drugs and can cause harm to others by trying to get them to engage in drug use, crime, and addiction causing health issues and sometimes death (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2018).
Estimates of the Extent of the Problem
In the year of 2015, the United States found that 679,569 children underwent child abuse or were neglected (National Statistics on Child Abuse, 2015). In 2015, an estimated 1,670 children died from abuse and neglect in the United States (National Statistics on Child Abuse, 2015) Boys had a higher child fatality rate than girls (2. 87 boys & 2. 11 girls per 100,000) (National Statistics on Child Abuse, 2015). Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) study is linked with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Kaiser Permanente’s Health Appraisal clinic in San Diego, California. They did a study on the adverse effects of child abuse. This is the biggest continuing study of the link between adolescence abuse and adult health and well-being outcomes. Information is taken from at least 17,000 participants that are experiencing neglect or abuse. Adverse Consequences Of Child Abuse Essay.
Another study conducted was the Longitudinal Studies of Child Abuse and Neglect (LONGSCAN). This study is based on the ways abuse and neglect happens. The size and variants of the study were 1,354 youth from five distinct geographical areas allowing it to stand on its own and with other studies. The last study conducted was The National Survey of Child and Adolescence Well-Being (NSCAW). This study focuses particularly on administration on youth and families that entails the child welfare system and the experiences of children and their families who interact with each other. Physical health consequences can have a number of repercussions such as abusive head trauma, impaired brain development and poor physical health. “NSCAW researchers found that, at some point during the three years following a maltreatment investigation, 28 percent of children had a chronic health condition (Child Welfare Information Gateway, 2013, p. 3). ” Psychological consequences can be evident when it comes to the following; problems during pregnancy, poor mental and emotional health, cognitive difficulties and social difficulties.
“For difficulties during pregnancy, in 2010 16 percent of the children that entered foster care were less than a year old (Child Welfare Information Gateway, 2013, p. 4). ” Almost half the infants in foster care who have gone through some sort of abuse maintain a cognitive delay and have a lower IQ. ACE studies have shown that 54 percent of children who suffer from poor mental and emotional health are more likely to be depressed, and 58 percent are suicidal when it comes to women that were sexually abused. For cognitive difficulties, NSCAW researchers proved that youth with a vast majority of abuse were at a higher risk for severe developmental issues, cognitive problems, and grade retention.
According to the second study of the NSCAW, “more than ten percent of school aged children and youth show some risk of cognitive problems or low academic achievement, 43 percent had emotional or behavioral problems and 13 percent had both” (Child Welfare Information Gateway, 2013, p. 5). Children who undergo social problems are more apt to be antisocial. Parental neglect is also associated with borderline personality disorder; one is more likely to develop an attachment disorder. There are behavioral consequences that result from child abuse. These consequences often cause difficulties during adolescence, juvenile delinquency and adult criminality, alcohol and other drug abuse, as well as abusive behavior.Adverse Consequences Of Child Abuse Essay. For difficulties during adolescence, “NSCAW data showed that more than half of youth with reports of maltreatment are at greater risk of grade retention, substance abuse, truancy or pregnancy” (Child Welfare Information Gateway, 2013, p. 5). Through data, research showed that children that have gone through abuse are more apt to become involved in criminal activities. On the other hand, research on alcohol and other drug abuse shows that when a child is abused or neglected they are more likely to smoke use drugs or drink. “Male children with an ACE score of 6 or more had an increased likelihood of more than 4,000 percent to use intravenous drugs later in life” (Child Welfare Information Gateway, 2013, p. 6).
Limitations/Weaknesses of the Data
There are quite a few limitations/weaknesses of the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) study. One limitation is that many cases of child abuse, neglect, and maltreatment are not reported to law enforcement or social welfare authorities. Another limitation pertaining to Adverse Childhood Experiences is that it is measured by self-reports of current events in the 30 years preceding the event and respondents recall is limited. Sometimes questions came up as to whether there was a less concentrated study of events such as the participant did not experience love and this would therefore cause more personal interpretation. The sensitive nature of the questions and the participant’s experience of the socially unacceptable actions of responding to these questions causes an important limitation. There may be a risk of recollection bias due to the time loss in between the events that are being analyzed (Adverse Childhood Experiences, 2010). There also might be the questions of less objective recall information when pertaining to the ACE study. Questions involving the participants may also have preferred bias because of the individual’s interpretations. Respondents may not admit to being abused, neglected, or maltreated; particularly when trauma is involved. The Longitudinal Studies of Child Abuse and Neglect (LONGSCAN) has limitations that should be looked at when analyzing the results. Adverse Consequences Of Child Abuse Essay.
Limitations stems from the nature of the study and how long the data group is. The LONGSCAN site specific samples were biased mostly on maltreatment and outcome. Being in the longitudinal study leaves behind room for biased information as participants with higher risk rates of unstable households may be less likely to stay in the study oppose to those in stable households and environments. Lastly, there are limitations/weaknesses within the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being (NSCAW). One limitation is that previous information on children who have experienced abuse is incomplete. Data lacked prior placements, child and caregiver experiences and episodes of maltreatment. Another limitation was that it consisted of some reporter’s biases. “The possibility of acquiring data from a teacher was reduced at many points: caregivers or legal guardians refused to authorize teacher contact, the child school, name and their address information; authorized forms were lost and unusable” (Child Welfare and Child Well-Being, 2010, p. 8-9). Adequate data provided from teachers were incomplete for many researchers.
Child abuse remains a significant problem around the world. The reasons for child abuse are diverse and tend to be different from a situation to another. It is found that children of different disabilities such as hearing, learning and visual impairment are at higher risk of being abused especially from their care givers. Another cause is Low socio-economic status and high social stress which lead some people to abuse drug and alcohol. Hence the severity of alcoholism and drug abuse increase the tendency to abuse others increases as well. Also it is clear that children of young ages are more likely to be abused by females than elder children who are abused more by males. Moreover, the abusing childhood experience can be a cause for an adult to abuse children, especially if this adult suffered rejection, maltreatment and violence in his or her childhood.
The end effects of child abuse can be shown as physical effect which range from minor injuries to severe brain damage and even death. Another effect is the psychological manifestation where the child may have low self esteem and depression. Furthermore, the social effects associated with undesirable behaviors such as criminal behaviors and alcoholism.
Causes and Effects of Child Abuse
Child abuse is a major public health crisis. It affects children of all ages, colors, social classes and ethnic groups. The latest statistics estimate that more than 900,000 children are victims of child maltreatment. Adverse Consequences Of Child Abuse Essay. Abuse occurs at all ages but is most common in younger children. Child abuse may manifest as skin injuries, skeletal trauma, head injury, or many other forms. (Tenney-Soeiro & Wilson, 2004).
In fact, there are several causes for child abuse like in children with variety of disabilities or behavioral problems who can increase parental stress to the instant that causes child abuse. Moreover, low socio-economic status and high social stress are strongly linked with abuse. Also a personal history of abuse and rejection may lead a person to abuse others. In addition, there are also certain and important effects of child abuse and neglect on the physical, psychological, and behavioral development of children. Thus, these consequences affect the victims themselves and society they live in.
Causes of Child Abuse
To begin with, there are several causes that lead to child abuse and neglect. First of all, children with physical disabilities, learning disabilities, visual and hearing impairments, low birth weights, and physical health problems are at slightly increased risk of being physically abused. Also prematurely born and chronically ill children are at same risk level. In other words, children who for one reason or other place stress on psychologically vulnerable parents are most at higher risk of abuse. Children with disabling conditions can increase stress on parents because such children are difficult to manage specially among inexperienced parents. Children that show significant cognitive impairments, or those that barely communicate, or who are limited in mobility due to disability can be considered as chronic stressor for child care providers (Howe, 2005).
Low socio-economic status and high social stress also play a role for physical abuse of children. Here the children usually descend from parents with typically poor educational achievements. Many social conditions raises the risk for child abuse and these conditions include poor housing condition , unemployment ,large family size , illness and the presence of new baby in the family .Physical abusers of very young children are more likely to be female, while abusers of older children are predominantly, though not exclusively, male. However, there is a tendency to overestimate maternal abuse and underestimate paternal or male abuse (Corby,2000). Whatever the age of the child is, most of child death occurs as a result of male violent behavior. Parents with depression and a personality disorder, and drug or alcohol abusers, are at higher risk of harming their children physically. Adverse Consequences Of Child Abuse Essay. In fact the more severe the alcoholism, the more likely violence is to occur. Parents who are alcohol abusers or with mental problems are typically subjected their children to prolonged physical abuse and neglect.
Last but not least, it is perhaps not surprising to learn that the childhoods of many physically abusive parents turn out to have been cruel and loveless. Children that are killed or murdered are more likely to be killed by their mother if she suffered from some sort of maternal rejection or neglect during her childhoods. Parents who extremely suffered from family arguments , witnessed home violent behavior, physical maltreatment, absence of warmth, cruel punishment, and parental mental health problems were at higher risk of being aggressive and intrusive with their own children. Mothers who were physically abused in childhood are more likely to react to helplessness and need with hostility, while sexually abused mothers appear more likely to react to their children by withdrawing.
And Crittenden, reviewing 35 years of research in the field of physical abuse, concluded ‘that parents at the dangerous extremes of otherwise common child-rearing practices are those who live in the most dangerous circumstances and have themselves experienced the most danger in the past’ (Crittenden, 1998). It can be concluded that all physically abused children become physically abusive parents themselves, the majority of physically abusive parents were themselves physically abused and felt neglected during their childhoods. Abused parents that do not abuse their children are more likely to had support from their partner, had a positive relationship with an adult (for example, a teacher or a relative) during childhood, or received some form of therapy during adolescence. The majority of abusive mothers report being severely beaten in childhood by their own mother, while about half say their father attacked them. Moreover, children who witness violence between their care providers are more likely to become violent and difficult to manage. Such behavior simply adds to the mother’s stress and tendency to deal with her children intemperately. Adverse Consequences Of Child Abuse Essay.
Effects of Child Abuse
As a result of the above causes, there are certain effects that might result from child abuse. Research now shows that the physical, psychological, and behavioral consequences of child abuse and neglect impact not just the child and family, but the community as a whole (Iannelli, 2007).To start with, the physical effects range from minor injuries to severe brain damage and even death. Physical abuse in infants and children can lead to brain dysfunction and sometimes to death. Most death victims of abuse and neglect are under age 5. In 1991, an estimated 1,383 children died from abuse or neglect; 64 percent of these deaths were attributed to abuse and 36 percent to neglect (McCurdy & Daro, 1992). A child does not need to be knocked on the head to get brain injuries. It’s has been indicated that infants who are shaken vigorously by the extremities or shoulders may sustain intracranial and intraocular bleeding with no sign of external head trauma. Adverse Consequences Of Child Abuse Essay. Thus early neglectful and physically abusive practices have destructive consequences for their small sufferers. Physically abused children have been found to have more mild neurologic signs, serious physical injuries, and skin markings and scars than their non-abused peers (Kolko, Moser, & Weldy, 1990). Not only is that but for most abused children fractures common. Multiple fractures and fractures in different stages of healing are also findings that may indicate abuse and emphasize the need for obtaining full skeletal surveys on children under 2 years of age when abuse is suspected (Hyden & Gallagher, 1992). In addition, burns account for approximately 10% of all child abuse and have a mortality rate of 30% (McLoughlin & Crawford, 1985).For most abused children burns are common and well marked especially on the dorsal aspect of the hand buttocks and perineum. Children who have been sexually maltreated, and some who have been physically neglected, have shown discriminating sexuality and signs of genital manipulation. For the most part, serious biological effect of child and adolescent sexual abuse is the risk of sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV and syphilis.
Furthermore, abused children show higher levels of depression, hopelessness, and lower self-esteem especially in physically and sexually abused children. The longer period of physical abuse the greater emotional difficulties are found in those children. Also anxiety symptoms such as fearfulness, phobias, insomnia and nightmares may manifest in such cases. These symptoms may prolong and produces serious mental health consequences such as Difficulty establishing and maintaining relationships, eating disorders and suicidal attempts.
What is more is that physical violence and unsociable behaviors are among the most consistently recognized childhood outcomes of physical child abuse. Sufferers of child abuse and neglect are at higher risk for criminal behavior and running away. Considerably less is known about connections between childhood abuse and other problem behaviors, such as teenage pregnancy, alcohol use and drug abuse, self-destructive behavior, and suicide. Many children who suffer from the psychological effects of child abuse often become child abusers themselves or can become perpetrators of violent crimes. Many inmates in our jails and prisons have been victims of child abuse (Dunning, 2004) .Alcohol and drug use are both illegal for teenagers, creating a natural confusing of alcohol or substance use with criminal behavior. For example, alcoholics often attempt other destructive behaviors, including suicide attempts (Schuckit, 1993). Diagnoses of alcoholism are complicated by the presence of antisocial personality disorder, which in turn, may include components of criminal behavior and sexual promiscuity. Adverse Consequences Of Child Abuse Essay.
To sum up, there are multiple causes that lead to child abuse and neglect. In addition, it appears that there are dangerous effects that results from child abuse. Therefore, a number of primary and secondary strategies can be taken to prevent the several types of abuse and child abuse consequences. The primary strategies include parents training on parenting skills and dealing with disabled children, children education on self defense and report of any type of abuse. The secondary efforts should concentrate on investigation of child abuse reports by child protection agencies, clinical treatment of physical and psychological injuries, family counseling, self-help services, the provision of goods and services such as relief care, legal action against the abuser, and removal of the child or the offender from the home.
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This Act is what most state laws use to abide by as the basic definition of what child abuse is. Knowing what child abuse is can help people realize the psychological and social effects of the abuse. Child abuse is broken up into four different types because child abuse, itself, “is a general term that covers a wide range of acts of commission and omission” (Gelles 14). These acts can be active or passive and they all in some way impair the health and development of the child. Physical abuse occurs when a child is hit, hurt, and scarred with marks not accidentally.Adverse Consequences Of Child Abuse Essay. Physical abuse is one that seems to happen more often than others. Munchausen by Proxy Syndrome happens to be a form of physical abuse. Munchausen happens when “a caretaker (most often the mother) seeks attention by making their child sick or appear to be sick” (Child Abuse 754). This is a form of physical abuse because the parent or caretaker intentionally hurts the child in order to gain attention to him or herself. However, “in many cases children are the victims of more than one type of abuse” (Child Abuse 753), and some abusers don’t stop at just physically abusing the child but also go as far as sexually abusing him/her. Any involvement or act of a sexual nature upon a child is sexual abuse. The performances of these. Adverse Consequences Of Child Abuse Essay.
