Childhood Abuse

Childhood Abuse

Introduction

The term battered child syndrome was first used in the 1960s to describe physical child abuse. At that time, it was believed that this phenomenon applied to a minor portion of the population. In 2006, substantiated child abuse victims ranged from 9.7 to 12.1 in North America. Child neglect accounts for almost two-thirds (65 percent) of all documented cases of child abuse in the United States followed by physical abuse (16 percent) and sexual abuse (9 percent). Psychological abuse is not looked at individually as it is central to all child abuse (Miller & Perrin, 2007). Child abuse is a relational disorder. Physical abuse and neglect most often occur during childhood transitional periods, such as the postnatal period, early childhood and early adolescence, which are often marked by family instability. The dynamic influence of stress related to social and economic deprivation also affects the risk for child abuse. Sexual abuse is influenced by family factors and stress. However, unlike physical abuse and neglect, sexual abuse is premeditated



Discussion

Emotional use of children is defined as a form of child maltreatment that causes psychological harm. In this type of abuse, children receive the repeated message, either verbal or nonverbal, from a family member in a position of power, that they are worthless, unloved, unwanted, or bad. Emotional abuse is willfully causing a child to suffer through verbally negative comments and rejecting behavior. Emotional abuse frequently occurs within the context of other types of abuse, including neglect, physical abuse, and sexual abuse. Emotional abuse has existed throughout history, as long as humans have come together in family units (Herman, 1997).

More specifically, emotional abuse is defined as nonphysical mistreatment and can involve screaming, yelling, name calling, and being subjected to extreme hostility of negativity. Some define child emotional abuse as exposure to parental or relationship violence and discord. This broadens the definition to include both direct and indirect sources. In child emotional abuse, the focus of care is on both the individual child experiencing the emotional abuse and the family where this abuse is occurring (Howe, 2005). Family is defined in this entry as individuals with both biological and nonbiological relationships who live in the same dwelling and form a familial unit.

Emotional abuse is seldom the focus of child welfare system interventions. It is difficult to delineate from suboptimal parenting and, although perceived as less physically dangerous than physical or sexual abuse, is still very adverse to a child's emotional and mental health. The Brassard and Donovan scale has categorized emotional abuse into four types: spurning, terrorizing, isolating, and exploiting/corrupting. Many children have experienced more than one type of emotional abuse; many also experience this abuse repeatedly over long periods of time. Emotional abuse is seldom the only form of abuse experienced by a child and may be accompanied by other forms of maltreatment, including neglect, physical abuse, or sexual abuse. Emotional abuse is dangerous to the mental health and well-being of children and requires intervention to be identified and then stopped ...