NCJ Number
56903
Journal
DEVELOPMENTAL MEDICINE AND CHILD NEUROLOGY Volume: 19 Issue: 3 Dated: (JUNE 1977) Pages: 373-387
Date Published
1977
Length
15 pages
Annotation
THIS 1977 FOLLOWUP STUDY OF 50 ABUSED CHILDREN SHOWS THAT THEY SUFFER CONTINUED PSYCHIC INJURY EVEN THOUGH INTERVENTION WITH THE PARENTS MAY STOP THE THREAT OF PHYSICAL ABUSE.
Abstract
ABUSED CHILDREN HAVE BOTH PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL WOUNDS. WHILE THE NEUROLOGICAL AND COGNITIVE SEQUELAE OF PHYSICAL ABUSE OF CHILDREN HAVE BEEN WELL DOCUMENTED, LITTLE ATTENTION HAS BEEN FOCUSED ON PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT. A WIDESPREAD ASSUMPTION IS THAT THE PERSONALITY CHARACTERISTICS OF ABUSED CHILDREN ARE PRIMARILY THE RESULT OF THE PHYSICAL ABUSE ITSELF. HOWEVER, THIS STUDY EXAMINED THE IMPACT OF HOME ENVIRONMENTS. THE 50 CHILDREN WERE ASSESSED 4 1/2 YEARS AFTER PHYSICAL ABUSE WAS FIRST IDENTIFIED. AGES RANGED FROM 22 MONTHS TO 13 YEARS WITH THE MEAN AGE BEING 6.5 YEARS. OVER HALF OF THE CHILDREN HAD SUFFERED ONLY SOFT-TISSUE DAMAGE. THE CHILDREN WERE GIVEN A PHYSICAL EXAMINATION, INTELLIGENCE TESTING, INTERVIEWS, AND A NEURO-DEVELOPMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND WERE OBSERVED THROUGH A ONE-WAY MIRROR. IN ADDITION TO CLINICAL OBSERVATIONS, DATA ABOUT CHILDREN'S BEHAVIOR AT HOME AND SCHOOL WERE OBTAINED BY INTERVIEWS WITH THE PARENTS DURING A HOME VISIT AND FROM REPORTS BY TEACHERS AND SOCIAL WORKERS. AN IMPAIRED ABILITY FOR ENJOYMENT WAS NOTED IN 33 OF THE 50 CHILDREN. BEHAVIORAL SYMPTOMS (E.G. ENURESIS, AND POOR PEER RELATIONSHIPS) WERE NOTED IN 31 CHILDREN. THESE ADDITIONAL BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS WERE FOUND IN AT LEAST 25 PERCENT OF THE CHILDREN; WITHDRAWAL, OPPOSITION, HYPERVIGILANCE, COMPULSIVITY, PRECOCIOUS BEHAVIOR, AND SCHOOL LEARNING PROBLEMS. THE ACTUAL PHYSICAL ABUSE SUFFERED BY THE CHILDREN DID NOT ACCOUNT FOR THEIR SUBSEQUENT PSYCHOLOGICAL PROBLEMS. RATHER SUCH HOME ENVIRONMENT FACTORS AS UNSTABLE FAMILY STRUCTURE AND EMOTIONAL DISTURBANCE IN THE PARENTS IMPAIRED THE PSYCHIC DEVELOPMENT OF ABUSED CHILDREN. TABLES AND REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (KCP).