Study Guide Test #3 Flashcards
• Describe the various ways in which children are affected by crisis
May not understand/demonstrate emotions the same
May not perceive/understand situations the same
May be traumatized by different things.
Like adults, all children are unique.
Much depends on personality, age, and support
Many struggle with helplessness and vulnerability.
Adults (parents) can’t protect them
Confusion, fear, anxiety
Apparent unawareness
Overwhelming emotions lead children to familiar and comforting activities
Overwhelming emotions are too difficult to express/verbalize
Revisit the trauma through play.
Helps them discharge/express emotions
Gives them some control over outcomes
Serves as a buffer from debilitating emotions
Regression
Reverting to earlier stages of development
Emotional expressions
Anger and sadness often disguised
Guilt and self-blame
Behavioral expressions
Some become passive/withdrawn, others act out
Aggressive, misbehave, test limits
Difficulty with sleep and dreams
Demonstrate risky behaviors
Trouble in school, difficulty concentrating
• Identify the major psychosocial, physical, and cognitive changes that occur during adolescence and describe their impact on overall function and their impact on how teens respond to crises.
Identity formation
Remember Erik Erikson?
A relatively clear & consistent awareness of whom one is.
Established by:
Discovering their talents and skills
Discovering what they enjoy doing
Discovering and adhering to a set of values and beliefs.
Discovering a sense of direction.
Discovering a peer group that shares the above.
2 “pathways”
Integration vs. Substitution
Crisis/trauma can drastically affect the process of answering the question, “Who am I?”
Puberty
Period of rapid physical and sexual development
Development of primary & secondary sex characteristics
Impact at 2 levels
Connection to self-worth, self-esteem, acceptance
Hormones
Also play a role in rapid emotional shifts and extremes
“A teen who is naturally prone to mood shifts and extremes can be overwhelmed by the emotions associated with traumatic experiences.”
Cognitive Development
Remember Piaget? (shift to formal operations)
Thinking abstractly
Reason more effectively
See more than one perspective or solution
Common belief prior to 1990s….
Now, “while it is true that 95% of the brain is developed by the age 5, the most advanced parts of the brain don’t complete their development until adolescence is pretty much over.”
Corpus Callosum – holistic thinking / decision-making
Rapid neural development & networking
Prefrontal cortex – emotional control, impulse control, & logical thinking
Impact on overall functioning Egocentrism Difficulty with empathy and seeing others’ perspectives Lives an “imaginary audience” Impulsive Behavior “Why did you do that?” -- “I don’t know.” Act without thinking, don’t see long term consequences Risk-taking Live by their own personal fables Errors in thinking All or nothing thinking Jumping to conclusions Fair / unfair thinking
Impact on dealing with crisis and trauma
Misperceiving / misinterpreting situations
Tendency toward extreme thinking
Tendency toward magical thinking
Struggling with emotions
Difficulty understanding, sorting, communicating, and regulating them
Made worse during crisis
Behavioral changes
Withdraw or cling
Seek control
Increase in impulsive and risk-taking behaviors
• List the types of traumas for which teens are especially vulnerable (and be able to describe why)
Death of a family member Emotional turmoil Challenge to worldview and identity Death of a friend Most teen deaths are sudden and dramatic Natural Disaster Loss of privacy, lowered school performance, hindered progression to independence, loss of friends and other support Divorce Withdrawal as coping mechanism Cynical about commitment and responsibility Robbed of parenting when they may need it most Incorporated into their own identity
• Distinguish between the different types of maltreatment (according to NCCAN)
Physical Abuse Sexual Abuse Emotional Abuse Physical Neglect Educational Neglect Emotional Neglect
Abuse = acts of commission Neglect = acts of omission
How do we judge intentionality of neglect?
Fatalities are associated slightly more often with neglect.
• Identify whether men or women are more likely to commit child abuse (and why)
60% of perpetrators are women
40% of them under 30
• Describe the various “contributing factors” to child abuse
There is no single cause
There is always the question of correlation vs. causation
There is a multidimensional nature
Psychological, social, family, and community factors
Family Income Low income (poverty-level) related to incidence rates in nearly every category.
Family Structure
Children of single parents at higher risk
77% greater chance of physical abuse
Children living with single father twice as likely to be abused as those living with single mother.
Absence of support network
Non-related males living in the home increases likelihood of abuse
Children in foster homes twice as likely to be abused
Family Size Incidence rates Highest for children of large families (4+) Intermediate for only children Lowest for families with 2 or 3
Other Factors
Drug / alcohol abuse by parents
These parents are three times as likely to abuse their chirldren
Domestic violence
Certain child characteristics
(ex. ADHD or autism) – leads to increased stress in the family
• Describe each of the “mitigating factors” that might influence the impact of abuse
Minimizing the impact of abuse Age Relational proximity Severity and duration Reactions of family members Support network Personal characteristics
• List the ethical principles to consider if/when a minister needs to report abuse
Why should a minister report abuse? Isn’t that interfering with their ability to be a spiritual confidant?
Alleviating pain and suffering
Protection of those who are defenseless and vulnerable
Justice and accountability
• Describe the phases and dynamics of sexual abuse
Engagement phase Enticement, entrapment, threat, or force Sexual Interaction phase Secrecy phase Disclosure phase Suppression phase Recovery phase
• List and describe some tips on how to counsel after a report of abuse
Remind the child they are not in trouble Reassure them they did the right thing Remember the two main goals: Taking care of the child Obtaining evidence Try to arrange for a minimal amount of interviews Be clear about limits of confidentiality Respect the child’s privacy Begin the interview informally Maintain calm demeanor Use good listening and communication skills Pay particular attention to body language Validate the child’s feelings Let them know you believe them Remind them of their courage Avoid questions that imply guilt or blame Document the actual words they use Tell the child what will happen next Prepare the child for the courtroom
• Identify and describe some issues that need to be addressed after a report of abuse (both in the short term and long term)
Issues that need to be addressed Damaged goods Guilt Feel responsible for the abuse or sexual activity Feel responsible for the disclosure Feel responsible for the disruption Fear Depression Low self-esteem & poor social skills
• Identify the percentage of women who experience violence by their husbands and the percentage of women in Emergency Rooms who are treated for injuries related to abuse.
25%-30% of women will experience violence by husbands at least once
30%-35% of women in ER are there for injuries related to abuse
• Identify some key milestones in the history of studying domestic violence
The expression “rule of thumb”
1960s – family violence included as a topic in social problem textbooks
1970s – first battered women’s shelters
1980s – a few separate college courses emerged
1980s – a few journals emerged devoted specifically to family violence
• Identify and correct the common myths of domestic violence
Domestic violence mostly happens in poor families.
Rates are indeed higher for low-income families
But the data is likely skewed.
Poor families who lack other resources turn to police and social service agencies
Families with other resources don’t always get counted in data
Something is wrong with battered women
This places blame on the woman for the violence. “She is a nag.” “She drinks too much.” She is crazy.”
Something must be wrong with women who don’t “just leave.”
Violence and Love cannot co-exist.
People tend to believe that they are so opposite that they cannot co-exist
But some children grow up learning they can co-exist and violent couples often can express love for each other.
• Describe each phase of the cycle of domestic violence
Tension-building phase Mounting stress and tension Cooperation turns to faultfinding Communication dwindles Couple withdraws from each other May develop a sense that violence is coming and that it is inevitable.
Acute Violence phase
Both parties feel victimized and out of control
Abuser will often fly into rampage
Remorse phase
Time of relief for both partners
Abuser is contrite and sorrowful
He is apologetic, promising to never do it again
Leads to a honeymoon phase, victim agrees to reconcile the relationship.
• Identify risk factors for future domestic violence
Previous involvement with domestic violence
Man is unemployed
Man is using illegal drugs at least once a year
Spouses are from different religious backgrounds
Man saw his father hit his mother
The couple cohabitated without marriage
Man has a blue-collar job
Man did not graduate from high school
Man is between 18-30 years old
Child abuse has occurred in the home
Income is below the poverty level
(2 factors: violence = twice as likely)
(7+ factors: violence = 40 times as likely)
• Describe the characteristics in the profile of violent partners
Can be dangerous to generalize, but these may be indicators of potential for violence:
Intense dependency and possessiveness toward spouses
Have low self-esteem
Inability to express other emotions or manage anger
Lack of assertiveness
Have unrealistic or idealized expectations
Have rigid and domineering application of traditional sex roles
• Describe the characteristics in the profile of victims
Difficult to accurately describe:
Were personality factors present before the abuse or are they the result of abuse?
Low self-esteem, low self-worth
Have unrealistic hope that violence will stop
Socially isolated
Emotionally and economically dependent
Abused as children or saw mothers abused
Do not have good communication skills
Have idealized view of what their relationship could be and feel they can “fix” him
• List 6 of the 10 reasons why women don’t leave violent relationships
Women are in no emotional condition to leave (if suffering from PTSD, MDD, etc)
Women are brainwashed to believe they are worthless and unwanted by anyone else
Learned helplessness
Religious beliefs
Want children to have a father
Fear of retaliation
Lack of financial resources
Hopes he will change
Pressure from pro-family societal messages
Denial
• Describe each of the intervention strategies and practical tips for facilitating change
Listening
Do not interview both spouses together
Be supportive, non-judgmental, and accepting, and genuine
Supporting
Allow room to vent
Be patient! Breaking away (or changing) a violent relationship is a slow process.
Encourage responsibility for self
Facilitating
Reinforce attempts at rational decision-making, self-control, and statements of personal power
Sometimes it takes a relentless hammering at the faulty and illogical perception of the abuse
Practical Tips for Facilitating Change Give the victim space to “freak out” Allow the victim to go through the pain, but stay with her. Maintain eye contact Set priorities together Brainstorm options Stay away from “why’s” Follow up Give specific information about resources Respect her right to make decisions Document thoroughly
Assessing Safety How bad is the situation? Does she need medical attention? Does she need a way out of the house? Does she need a shelter? Does she need a restraining order? Two basic alternatives: Stay or Leave Remember the fear of the unknown
Ensuring her safety
She has a biblical right to safety.
Develop a safety plan.
Look for legitimate signs of safety from husband
Willingness to be accountable
Willingness to submit to an authority other than himself
Willingness to learn self-control
Acceptance of consequences for failure to comply
(His internal controls are not operative. He needs external controls.)
• Distinguish between rape and sexual assault
Generally speaking..
Rape involves forced intercourse
Sexual assault involves other unwanted sexual contact and threats
• Describe why the data on rape varies from state to state
The data on rape depends on the definition (which varies from state to state).
Is oral and anal penetration included?
What is the age limit?
Is the woman’s ability to give consent considered?
• Identify the most common form of rape reported
Date Rape
• Identify how many college students report involvement with date rape
8% of college women reported the felt forced to engage in unwanted sex.
3.5% of college men felt that had forced a partner to engage in unwanted sex.
• Describe the role of alcohol in rape cases
Up to 75% of cases involve alcohol
Women raped while intoxicated are NOT less emotionally affected, but they do not classify their experience as rape
Alcohol may be related to misperceptions, but use of sedatives constitutes a deliberate assault
• Describe how often rape is committed by strangers
65%-75% of all rapes are committed by someone known to the victim
The majority of these are friends or acquaintances
Nearly 60% of rapes occur either in the victim’s home or home of a friend / acquaintance
• Identify the incidence rates of rape
About 95% of rapists are men
Almost no men who are raped ever report it
Those who experience an attempted or completed rape as either a child and/or adult:
1 in 6 women
1 in 33 men
Estimates of who will be sexually assaulted in their lifetime:
1 in 4 women
1 in 10 men
• List 5 of the 7 reasons why women don’t report sexual assault
Fear of perpetrator
Belief that rape was minor, one-time incident
Feelings of shame, want to keep it private
Belief that police couldn’t do anything about it
Want to protect the attacker or children
Want to handle it themselves
Don’t think the police would believe them
• Describe the various explanations of why men rape, according to your textbook
Fact = lust is a part of it, but it is also about domination, power, control, and anger
• Describe the various myths regarding rape
Men who accept these myths tend to be more coercive and aggressive
Victim precipitation – certain characteristics or behaviors of women actually lead me to commit rape
Victim responsibility – women could avoid rape if they really tried
Victim participation – women secretly enjoy rough sex
False accusation – women charge men with rape just to punish them
Rapists are weird, psychotic loners
Fact = people who rape come from every walk of life
Rape is just about unbridled lust
Fact = lust is a part of it, but it is also about domination, power, control, and anger
Up to 90% of disabled women will be victims of attempted or completed rape
• Describe the psychological effects of rape
Rape has been correlated to higher rates of Depression Sexual disorders Substance abuse disorders Anxiety disorders PTSD
• Describe the relationship between PTSD and rape
PTSD review Re-experience trauma Avoidance behavior, emotional numbing Increased nervous system arousal Vast majority of rape victims experience PTSD (83%-94%) 3 months after the event – nearly 50% 17 years after the event – 17%
• Describe each of the stages of “rape trauma syndrome”
“A type of PTSD”
But not according to DSM
Stage 1 – Immediate Crisis
2-6 weeks
Emotional and physical pain/distress
Many of same PTSD sx.
Hysteria, fear, anxiety, humiliation, shame, embarrassment, guilt, anger/rage, vulnerability
Current coping looks somewhat like previous coping
Stage 2 – Reorganization
Initial feelings subside, realize they may get through it.
“Get back to normal,” “Don’t dwell on it.”
Leads to denial & minimizing
May get stuck in this phase without intervention
Can function, but at lower level than before
Mood swings, depression, psychosomatic illness, substance abuse, phobias, relationship problems, sexual dysfunctions, suicidal thoughts, etc.
The longer they are in stage 2, the longer the intervention usually needs to be.
Stage 3 – Reintegration
Move from being victims to survivors
With intervention (usually), they can emerge stronger, more assertive, more aware of themselves, with greater self-esteem.
• Describe the key elements of immediate intervention with sexual assault victims
Immediate intervention is most helpful
Unfortunately, many do not get it.
Key = offer unconditional acceptance, support, empathy, be genuine, be patient, and listen a lot
Be concrete and clear with your own words
Find a counselor from a rape crisis unit
Important to steer the victim through the medical and police procedures
Get support and safety measures in place
Build on whatever sense of control she has
Watch for reaction of family members
• List 5 of the 7 key elements of intervention in the next 3 months
Educate family / friends
Watch for, educate for, and facilitate treatment for any psychiatric problems
PTSD, panic attacks, depression, suicide, eating disorders, etc.
Do not let victim ruminate with blame or “why” questions.
Encourage continued medical treatment if needed
Speak openly with the victim
Let her make important decisions
To move, change jobs, to prosecute, etc
Help husband communicate sexual desire without pressure for sex
