NCJ Number
57650
Date Published
1977
Length
14 pages
Annotation
THE LONG-TERM EFFECTS ON INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPMENT RESULTING FROM THE SUFFERING OF ABUSED CHILDREN IS ADDRESSED IN THIS ARTICLE.
Abstract
LITERATURE (THROUGH 1976) ON CHILD ABUSE HAS FAILED TO FOCUS ON THE EXPERIENCES AND DEVELOPMENT OF AFFECTED CHILDREN AND THEIR TREATMENT NEEDS. THIS IS UNDERSTANDABLE IN THAT, IN THE DECADE FOLLOWING PUBLICATION OF KEMPE'S (1962) CLASSIC STUDY ON BATTERED CHILDREN, IMMEDIATE CONCERN WAS PLACED ON PROTECTING CHILDREN FROM LETHAL PHYSICAL HARM. ONLY SINCE 1972 HAVE FOLLOWUP STUDIES BEEN CONDUCTED ON THE NEUROLOGIC, COGNITIVE, SOCIAL, AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF ABUSED CHILDREN. YET SUCH STUDIES HAVE BEEN FACED WITH NUMEROUS METHODOLOGICAL PROBLEMS SUCH AS THE DIFFICULTY OF TRACKING DOWN HIGHLY TRANSIENT ABUSIVE FAMILIES AND THE FAILURE TO USE MATCHED COMPARISON GROUPS. AVAILABLE DATA CLEARLY SHOW THAT ABUSED CHILDREN ARE AT HIGH RISK FOR DAMAGE TO THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM AND MALDEVELOPMENT OF EGO FUNCTION. THREE MAJOR COMPONENTS OF THE AFTEREFFECTS OF ABUSE MUST BE CONSIDERED: (1) PHYSICAL TRAUMA MAY ITSELF BE THE CAUSE OF THE CHILD'S NEUROLOGICAL HANDICAP, (2) OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCES (INCLUDING UNDERNUTRITION AND SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC DISADVANTAGES MAY CAUSE DAMAGE, AND (3) THE POSSIBLE POOR TREATMENT THE CHILD RECEIVES AFTER BEING ABUSED IN HOSPITALS AND FOSTER HOMES OR INSTITUTIONS MAY BE MORE DAMAGING THAN THE PHYSICAL INJURY ITSELF. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (KCP).