Concepts of Abuse and Neglect Flashcards
What are the 3 types of Abuse and their definitions? + neglect
Physical Abuse: infliction of physical injury
Sexual Abuse: inappropriate exposure or sexual contact, activity or behaviour without consent
Psychological Abuse: Emotional, verbal, mental injury
Neglect: Failing to meet physical, emotional, or other needs
Do different types occur separately?
- Occur separately but are often seen in combination
- Psychological abuse almost always accompanies other forms of abuse
Indicators & Dynamics of Sexual Abuse
- Physical/Anatomical signs/injuries associated with genital and rectal areas
- Extreme changes in behaviour (regression, fear & anxiety, withdrawal, sleep disturbances, recurrent nightmares)
- With children maybe unusual interest in sexual matters or know inappropriate sexual information for their age group
- Sexual promiscuity, sexual victimization & prostitution
- For children one of the most significant factors contributing to adjustment after sexual abuse is the level of parental support.
What are influencing factors of Sexual Abuse?
- Age of victim (at time of abuse & assessment)
- Extent & duration of sexual abuse
- Relationship of offender to victim
- Reaction of others to abuse
- Other life experiences
Immediately after disclosure of sexual abuse, an individual is at risk for:
- Disbelief by others (especially if victim is child and perpetrator is spouse/partner)
- Rejection by others
- Blamed for the abuse and consequences of disclosing abuse
- Rejection by others
What are some effects of sexual abuse?
- Aversive feelings about sex, overvaluing sex, sexual identity problems, hypersexual behaviours
- Feelings of shame, guilt, responsibility reflected in self destructive behaviours (SU, self mutilation, suicidal ideation, gestures and acts to provoke punishment)
- Lack of trust, unwillingness to invest in others, involvement in exploitive relationships, angry acting out
- Perceived vulnerability & victimization
- Phobias, sleep, eating problems
What are the indicators & dynamics of Psychological abuse & neglect?
- Sustained, repetitive, inappropriate behaviour aimed at threatening, isolating, discrediting, belittling, teasing, humiliation, bullying, confusing, and or ignoring
- Can be seen in constant criticism, belittling, teasing, ignoring, withholding praise/affection, placing excessive/unreasonable demands about what is appropriate
- Can impact intelligence, memory, recognition, perception, attention, imagination, moral development
- Those who have been psychologically abused are likely to be fearful, withdrawn, resentful/distressed and despairing
- Likely to feel unloved, worthless, unwanted, only valued in meeting others needs
Victims of Psychological abuse and neglect often:
- Avoid eye contact and experience deep loneliness, anxiety and/or despair
- Have a flat/superficial way of relating with little empathy toward others
- Have a lowered capacity to engage appropriately with others
- Engage in bullying, disruptive or aggressive behaviours towards others
- Engage in self harming/destructive behaviour
What are the dynamics of physical abuse?
- Nonaccidental trauma or physical injury cause by punching, beating, kicking, biting or burning
- Most visible form as there are usually physical signs
- With children can result from inappropriate/excessive physical discipline
- Most visible form as there are usually physical signs
What are the indicators of physical abuse?
- Unexplained bruises or welts on the face, lips, mouth, torso, back, buttocks, thighs sometimes reflecting shape of article used
- Unexplained burns from cigar/cigarette especially on hands, back, butt
- Unexplained fractures to the skull, nose or facial structure
- Unexplained lacerations or abrasions to mouth, lips, gums, eyes, external genitalia
- Behavioural: being way of individuals - parent or caretaker, aggressiveness/withdrawal, fear of reporting injury
What are the effects of Physical, Sexual, & Psychological Abuse
- Both immediate & long term consequences
- Impacts influenced by extent & type of abuse/neglect, whether it was continual or infrequent, the age at which it occurred, relationship to perpetrator, how it was discovered and addressed upon disclosure
- Client personality traits, inner strength, and support systems also influences
- Impacts often not immediately evident
○ Physical injuries if any usually temporary
○ More damaging & lasting impacts are impaired language, cognitive & physical development - Children at risk of academic problems and school failure - difficulty following rules, being respectful, staying in seats & keeping on task, temper tantrums/difficult peer relationships
- Social & emotional problems, poor relationships, SU & dependency, risky/violent behaviours, delinquency are manifestations
- Consequences include: isolation, fear, inability to trust, low self-esteem, anxiety, depression, hopelessness - can lead to relationship problems and antisocial behavioural traits
- Not all those who have been abused/neglected will experience problems - lack of problems doesn’t mean it didn’t occur
What are the indicators, dynamics, & impacts of exploitation across the lifespan?
- Financial, Immigration Status, Sexual Trafficking
- Treating someone badly to benefit from their resources/work - using the situation to gain an unfair advantage
- More common with power differentials - social status, ability, income, education, job position, gender
- On a macro level, important to see the relationship between discrimination & exploitation
○ Most social problems are aggravated by the status of particular groups in society
§ Greater prevalence of poverty among POC & female household heads
§ Poverty decreases opportunities for employment, education, goods etc.
§ Poverty creates greater stresses that lead to physical & mental illness, family breakdown, inability to work & other problems
- Discrimination creates deficits in social power
What are the characteristics of perpetrators of abuse, neglect & exploitation
- Having one of these factors doesn’t mean that an individual will become an abuser, but abusers are likely to have 1+ of these risk factors
- A past history of violent behaviour is the best predictor of future violence
○ Each prior act increases chance of future episodes - Those who suffered some form of abuse as children more likely to be perpetrators of abuse as adults
- History of owning weapons & using them against others
- Criminal history, repetitive antisocial behaviour
- Drug & Alcohol use
- Psychiatric disorder w/ coexisting substance abuse
- Certain psychiatric symptoms (psychosis, intense suspiciousness, anger/unhappiness)
- Personality disorders (Borderline & Antisocial)
- History of impulsivity, low frustration tolerance, recklessness, inability to tolerate criticism, entitlement
- Angry affect without empathy, high anger = increased chance of violence
- Environmental stressors: lower SES, job loss
- A past history of violent behaviour is the best predictor of future violence
What are stressors?
history of abuse, isolated with lack of social supports, low sense of self-competence & self-esteem, financial problems
What are some examples of poor skills?
Rigid authoritarian, low IQ, poor self control, poor communication, problem solving, interpersonal skills
What are some examples of family issues?
Marital discord, imbalanced relationship with marital partner (dominant/noninvolved), domestic violence, Substance abuse
Define Static Risk Factors
factors that cannot be changed by interventions such as past history of violent behaviour or demographic information
Define Dynamic Risk Factors
can be changed by interventions such as living situation, treatment of psychiatric symptoms, abstaining from SU, access to weapons etc.
What are some interventions to reduce dynamic risk factors?
- Pharmacological
- SU treatment
- Psychosocial
- Removal of weapons
- Increased level of supervision
