Maltreatment of ChildrenMaltreatment of Children

An interactive lectureAn interactive lecture

maltreatmentmaltreatment

The common term is child abuse, The common term is child abuse, however, developmentalist’s however, developmentalist’s increasingly refer to the term increasingly refer to the term maltreatment.maltreatment.

What are some types of What are some types of maltreatment?maltreatment?

Types of MaltreatmentTypes of Maltreatment

Physical abusePhysical abuse Sexual abuseSexual abuse Fostering delinquencyFostering delinquency Lack of appropriate supervisionLack of appropriate supervision Medical/dental neglectMedical/dental neglect Educational neglectEducational neglect Nutritional neglectNutritional neglect Drug and alcohol abuseDrug and alcohol abuse

Developmental Developmental consequences of consequences of maltreatment maltreatment

Poor emotional regulationPoor emotional regulation Attachment problemsAttachment problems Problems in peer relationsProblems in peer relations Difficulty in adapting at schoolDifficulty in adapting at school Other psychological problems Other psychological problems

including age inappropriate behaviour including age inappropriate behaviour and responsibility; guilt, shame.and responsibility; guilt, shame.

Messed up boundaries Messed up boundaries

ProfilingProfiling

What are some of the What are some of the characteristics you believe or are characteristics you believe or are led (socially) to believe, to be of a led (socially) to believe, to be of a person who abuses or maltreats person who abuses or maltreats children?children?

whowho

Not all parents who abuse children were Not all parents who abuse children were themselves abused.themselves abused.

Parenting styles and values are Parenting styles and values are influenced from one generation to the influenced from one generation to the next.next.

Indicator to prevent abuse from Indicator to prevent abuse from generation to generation: having at least generation to generation: having at least one significant influence (teacher, one significant influence (teacher, parent, aunt etc) of warmth and caring in parent, aunt etc) of warmth and caring in childhood, and in their lives as a parent.childhood, and in their lives as a parent.

Your Text according to Your Text according to Health Canada (1997)Health Canada (1997)

““Family economic factors such as Family economic factors such as poverty and unemployment also can poverty and unemployment also can increase the risk of child maltreatment in increase the risk of child maltreatment in families. (health Canada, 1997).” cited families. (health Canada, 1997).” cited in text page 214in text page 214

What is problematic with this statement?What is problematic with this statement?

Risk vs PredictionRisk vs Prediction

Less resources to self educate, purchase Less resources to self educate, purchase books, etc.,books, etc.,

Less likely to seek out and be able to access Less likely to seek out and be able to access resources to help or be able to pay for resources to help or be able to pay for resources to help.resources to help.

Less able to “take a break”. Less able to “take a break”. People on social assistance or in poverty are People on social assistance or in poverty are

less likely to call police for help. less likely to call police for help. Are watched and scrutinized by institutions Are watched and scrutinized by institutions

more closely (SA; EI;).more closely (SA; EI;).

PredictionPrediction

What factors can be used as What factors can be used as potential predictors of potential predictors of maltreatment, that transcend maltreatment, that transcend (bypass) economics and the (bypass) economics and the cultural bias against those living in cultural bias against those living in poverty or struggle under social poverty or struggle under social assistance?assistance?

factors to consider that factors to consider that transcend economicstranscend economics

Limited knowledge of child rearingLimited knowledge of child rearing lower tolerance for common infant lower tolerance for common infant

behavioursbehaviours children with less predictable routineschildren with less predictable routines children who have feeding problemschildren who have feeding problems misinterpretations of a child’s reason misinterpretations of a child’s reason

for cryingfor crying

more factors that more factors that transcend transcend economicseconomics

Parent who is less likely to reason Parent who is less likely to reason with a childwith a child

parental drug parental drug misusemisuse (alcohol, (alcohol, designer or street drugs, designer or street drugs, prescription drugs)prescription drugs)

presence of a deformity in childpresence of a deformity in child parent perceiving a child as uglyparent perceiving a child as ugly

SpankingSpanking

Is spanking ok?Is spanking ok? What constitutes a spank?What constitutes a spank? Is spanking legal in Ontario?Is spanking legal in Ontario?

Sexual abuseSexual abuse

Likely most traumatic, because of Likely most traumatic, because of social stigma and damage to social stigma and damage to boundary developmentboundary development

People who sexually abuse are People who sexually abuse are likely close to and known to the likely close to and known to the childchild

BoundariesBoundaries

Invisible constructs that delineate Invisible constructs that delineate individuals and subsystems and define individuals and subsystems and define the amount and type of contact the amount and type of contact allowable between members of a group allowable between members of a group or family.or family.

Help us know what is in and what is outHelp us know what is in and what is out Are not visible and so are inferred by Are not visible and so are inferred by

the repeating patterns of behaviour in a the repeating patterns of behaviour in a given systemgiven system

Boundaries…Boundaries…

Imply rules or preferred relationships Imply rules or preferred relationships between subsystems in a family or between subsystems in a family or groupgroup

A systems rules are what distinguish it A systems rules are what distinguish it from other system rules, therefore set from other system rules, therefore set the boundaries of that system.the boundaries of that system.

Imply a notion of hierarchy with in Imply a notion of hierarchy with in system or subsystem (consider the system or subsystem (consider the hierarchy in your own family)hierarchy in your own family)

Open vs Closed SystemsOpen vs Closed Systems

All living systems are open to some All living systems are open to some extentextent

Healthy system is one that has Healthy system is one that has balance between openness and balance between openness and closedness.closedness.

A healthy system is open to some A healthy system is open to some ideas and closed to othersideas and closed to others

A healthy system is one that is A healthy system is one that is flexible, adaptable.flexible, adaptable.

Clear BoundariesClear Boundaries

Imply engagement are predictableImply engagement are predictable Firm yet flexibleFirm yet flexible Consistent yet changeable (evolving)Consistent yet changeable (evolving) Are open, not secretiveAre open, not secretive Having meaning, intent, purpose, Having meaning, intent, purpose,

reasonreason Age appropriateAge appropriate

Clear boundaries….Clear boundaries….

Members are nurtured and supported Members are nurtured and supported in understanding and working with in understanding and working with the boundaries that existthe boundaries that exist

Members are given some degree of Members are given some degree of autonomy - developmentally autonomy - developmentally increasing.increasing.

Some freedom to experiment and Some freedom to experiment and test the boundaries, or push them test the boundaries, or push them without repercussionwithout repercussion

Rigid BoundariesRigid Boundaries Imply disengagement, are not predictableImply disengagement, are not predictable Inflexible, unreasonable, “cold”Inflexible, unreasonable, “cold” Under-responsibility, blocking warmthUnder-responsibility, blocking warmth Isololating, rigid boundaries often belong Isololating, rigid boundaries often belong

to systems that are autonomous and to systems that are autonomous and segregatedsegregated

Likely delayed social developmentLikely delayed social development Members seek support and nurturance Members seek support and nurturance

elsewhere (handle it yourself, don’t bother elsewhere (handle it yourself, don’t bother me) me)

Diffuse (blurred) Diffuse (blurred) BoundariesBoundaries

Enmeshment, polar opposite of rigidEnmeshment, polar opposite of rigid Everyone is into everyone’s businessEveryone is into everyone’s business Over responsibilityOver responsibility Providing support when not needed, Providing support when not needed,

blocking autonomyblocking autonomy Parents are too accessible, too much Parents are too accessible, too much

negotiation and accommodationnegotiation and accommodation Cost to child is loss of experimentation, Cost to child is loss of experimentation,

autonomy, independence, autonomy, independence, Delayed emotional developmentDelayed emotional development