Mind Matters: Definition, effects of child abuse
Mind Matters: Definition, effects of child abuse By George Davis February 6, 2006 University of New Mexico: Define child abuse. What qualifies behavior as abusive? INFO ON ABUSE For more information on child abuse, log onto: www.nccanch.acf.hhs.gov www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/childabuse.html www.childhelpusa.org George Davis: That's one of the great questions of parenting. I've seen parents do things that might not "qualify" as physically abusive, but would be emotionally abusive. Officially, abuse is any action that actually harms the child in the course in their interaction with a parent or parents. Some define abuse as physical assault, but in the greater world of psychiatry, it's not limited only to that. Abuse can also be parental neglect in failing to provide the basic physical, psychological and emotional elements of a child's rearing, which could include things like relentless criticism, total parental domination - even withholding physical or verbal interaction. But beyond the definition of "in-your-face" abuse, research is emphasizing that the very subtle quality of interaction between a young child and a parent is what influences how the child can tolerate stress, control emotions, cope with relationships and create quality relationships with others. These subtle qualities of early parenting can also dramatically affect a child's development of things like kindness, attachment, empathy and sympathy. For example, an infant is completely dependent on the parents for a sense of well-being. Even the subtlest deprivations, like not vocalizing, looking at or holding an infant enough, have a tremendous effect. They might not be considered abusive, but they have incredible impact on a child's development. It's not easy being a parent these days, but generally those instincts - the urge to pick up a baby and make eye contact, coddle and coo to them - take over. Parenting comes pretty naturally, unless the parents suffered from early abuse themselves. Otherwise, two of the biggest contributors to poor parenting are depression and drugs. UNM: How does abuse - physical and/or sexual - translate into violence on the child's behalf? Davis: Physically abusive parents leave a child vulnerable to depression and problems with appropriate conduct, self-control and so forth. The "damage" associated with abuse can depend on the child's gender, when in the child's life it happened, by whom it was inflicted, and for how long. Statistically, girls who are exposed to abuse have a higher likelihood of being victimized again, and also are more likely to enter another abusive relationship. Males are proportionately more likely to become abusive themselves. That's a generally accepted rule of thumb. The child's genetic makeup also is a factor. Abused children who have a certain genotype will turn out aggressive, while others (without those specific genes) will not. Some abused children with "resilient" genotypes can survive anything. At some level, it's predictable - yet unpredictable. In addition, witnessing abuse between parents is as damaging to children as being abused. UNM: Is violence the most common manifestation of child abuse, and can it be an act of vengeance or self-preservation or both? Davis: Violence isn't necessarily the outcome for an abused child. There are other more common outcomes, like depression, anxiety, and changes in personality and subtle interpersonal skills. Abuse creates a lot of depression, and frankly all psychiatric conditions are more common in children who have been abused. Abused children can even experience auditory hallucinations, though they are not schizophrenic. Psychotic symptoms in abused children are more common than is generally realized. And we're seeing actual neurological developmental damage from abused children. Children who suffer certain kinds of deprivation and abuse in infancy experience developmental changes in their neurotransmitters. We're learning that there's a tremendous merger between the environment in which a child is raised and the way his or her brain develops anatomically. Let's put it this way: Parents who beat and torment their children might have instilled survival value, but there's definitely no beneficial social gain in the skills that are needed to cope with people and circumstances that fill everyday life. George Davis is director of the Division of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry in UNM's Department of Psychiatry. Mind Matters runs every other Monday. Have a question about mental health? Send it to lfrank@salud.unm.edu http://www.abqtrib.com/albq/nw_science/article/0,2668,ALBQ_21236_4444958,00.html