child abuse and neglect final exam

intervention process in child maltreatment

1. designed to cause least damage (to already traumatized child) and prove to be most helpful

2. goal is to stop maltreatment of child

3. reporting

4. investigating and validating

5. home visits

critical questions in risk assessment

1) Is the child at risk from abuse or neglect and to what degree?

2) What is causing the problem?

3) What are the strengths or protective factors that could be built on with services to alleviate the problem?

4) Is the home a safe environment or must the child be placed?

three conditions that constitute an emergency and subsequent removal of a child

1) imminent danger of physical harm to the child

2) dangerous home situation

3) abandonment of the child

information that needs to be gathered when interviewing an adult in a child maltreatment case

-validation/non validation

-parental history and functioning

-parent's view of the child

-functioning of the family

-environment

-family's support system

key issues in interviewing children with special emphasis on: supportive adult ally; establishing creditability with child; child's terminology, etc.

-first report is almost never the first incident

-interview child alone in a neutral setting or with a supportive ally

-establish credibility

-use child's terminology and clarity meaning

-be aware of child's sense of time/ use special events to pinpoint incidents

-multiple interviews (?)

-nature of abuse

-responsibility for establishing a relaxed atmosphere and diffusing anxiety rests with the interviewer

strategies for establish a therapeutic relationship with an abused child

-personal introspection

-engaging child

--introduce self

--demonstrate interest

--establish credibility

--clarity initial expectations

--stress self as a support person

anatomically correct dolls

- demonstration aid

- anatomical model

- memory stimulus and diagnostic screen

- icebreaker

- comforter

parent aides

-they are trained volunteers who go and befriend parents and give parental advice if asked

-one of the ways social services gets involved in stopping the absue - teaches parents how to BE parents

crisis nurseries

-24-hour services for overstressed parents who feel at risk of abusing their children

-child care facilities where troubled parents can go when they have nowhere else to turn

-one of the places parents can go to view the interactions of their children with others and learn by modeling how to be better parents

parents anonymous

-it's a national organization that promotes mutual support and parent leadership in order to build and support strong, safe families

-a self-help group started in 1969 by an abusive mother, Jolly K., which helps abusive parents to get out of isolation and feel better about themselves, so that they can help themselves to stop abusing

art therapy

-Form of therapy that encourages self-expression through painting or drawing

-therapeutic approach that allows a person to express troubled feelings without words, using a variety of art materials and media

-a type of therapy used in treating maltreated kids that allows them to release some energy and helps them to understand what they're feeling (drawing, dancing, singing, drama, poetry...)

repressed memories

- describes those who have no memory of the abuse they suffered

- much controversy

-something that is under much controversy, says that if an event was extremely tragic, it could be repressed so that, to oneself, it was like the event never happened

myths regarding adults who were abused as children

1) individual who was abused or neglected will abuse or neglect his/ her own children

2) abused and neglected children become deviant adults, involved in crime, drugs, or prostitution

3) effects of abuse and neglect are irreparable and render the future adult incapable of leading a fulfilling and happy life

residual effects of child maltreatment

- difficulty trusting others

- low self-esteem

- relational imbalances

- traumatic sexualization

self-help groups for former victims

-method to treat adult survivors

-Parents Anonymous, Adults Molested as Children, and the Writers group

role of the following in determining the authenticity of a child's report of sexual abuse:

-evidence of a hoax

- a person needs sophisticated thinking skills not possessed by young children

- children younger than 10-12 have not developed the abstract thinking skills necessary to carry off a hoax under the intense scrutiny of an investigation

- when an adolescent is the alleged victim, special attention should be paid to symptoms, family dynamics, and the pattern of abuse

role of the following in determining the authenticity of a child's report of sexual abuse:

-evidence of coaching

A) is the story told in the child's own words?

- don't ask leading questions

- responses should be age-appropriate

- child should should elaborate on statements without mechanical rendition as if rehearsed or memorized

B) vocabulary- child may use immature words for genitals

C) personal frame of reference- these lend credibility to the child

- details- what people were wearing, what was said, where other people were

- information the child could only have through diet experience (pain, penetration, taste and texture of semen, etc.)

- extreme emotional response- fear, anger, shame, severe withdrawal (numb state)

role of the following in determining the authenticity of a child's report of sexual abuse:

-ulterior motive

A) this factor needs to be seen from the child's point of view

B) stress of divorce may cause children to reveal abuse ("I couldn't live with HIM.")

C) divorce may be the time when abuse starts (by parents or stepparents)

D) being angry with the perpetrator is a legitimate response for a victim and does not negate allegations

E) wanting to be safe is NOT an ulterior motive

phases of treatment and tasks of each in child abuse cases

1) disclosure-panic

2) assessment-awareness

3) restructure

ten impact and treatment issues for the sexually abused child

(affect all children) (Susan Sigori)

1) "Damaged Goods" Syndrome

2) guilt

3) fear

4) depression

5) low self-esteem and poor social skills

__________________________________________

(affect intrafamiliy abuse victims)

6) repressed anger and hostility

7) impaired ability to trust

8) blurred role boundaries and role confusion

9) rseudomaturity coupled with failure to accomplish developmental tasks

10) self-mastery and control

Treatment issues for non-offending parent

- strengthen role in future protection of child

- group therapy to address her needs

- areas needing attention

--communication

--lack of assertiveness

--low self-esteem

--denial

-- unrealistic expectations

-- increased ability to enforce role boundaries

-- anger and hostility

anger and inability to trust, feelings of failure (she didn't stop the abuse), she needs support (doesn't even nurture herself), she has unmet needs, has an impaired self-concept and lacks social skills, also needs to work on communication

treatment issues for perpetrators of sex abuse

A) factors affecting treatment

- type of assault

- where resides

- sex

B) goals

- take responsibilty

- increase understanding of the events, circumstances, that led to the sexual offense

- learn to break patterns that lead to abuse

- develop positive self-esteem

- establish a way to meet sexual an interpersonal needs without victimizing others

C) assessment

- personality testing

- physiological penile assessment

treatment of physically abusive parents

-nurturing and reparenting

-addressing psychic conflicts, pathology

-improving parent-child relationships

-parents anonymous

-parent-aides

-foster grandparents

-family systems intervention

treatment for the physically abused child

-medical services

-social services

(crisis nurseries, parent-aides, big brothers, sisters)

-psychotherapy

(relations with others, expression of affect, self-concept)

reporting of abuse (reporting act; mandated reporters)

-contacting CPS or law enforcement

1.) quality of interview

2.) evidence of hoax

3.) evidence of coaching

4.) ulterior motive

5.) fear of blame

6.) protecting a loved one

7.) story is direct, concrete

8.) story is constant over time

9.) overstimulation in the home

10.) known pattern of sexually abusive (particularly incestuous relationships)

11.) family dynamics consistent with incest

prevention efforts in schools

-life skills training

-preparation for parenthood

-self-protection training

-educational services for community

-help for at-risk families

prevention efforts in families

programs that focus on

-improving coping skills

-educating about child development

-facilitating bonding, communication with children

-increasing ability to approaching helping resources

prevention efforts in communities

-educating residents

-awareness programs

-libraries

-support-school based programs

levels of prevention

primary, secondary, tertiary

primary prevention

raise the awareness of the general public, service providers, and decision makers about the scope and problems associated with child maltreatment. includes: PSA's, parent education programs, or public awareness campaigns, billboards, commercials

secondary prevention

focus efforts and resources on children and families known to be at higher risk for maltreatment; towards high-risk populations. includes: parent education programs in high schools for teen mothers, substance abuse treatment programs, respite care, family resource centers

tertiary prevention

focus efforts on families where abuse and/or neglect has already occurred; includes: intensive family preservation services with trained mental health counselors available for families, parent mentor programs with stable, nonabusive families, mental health services for children and families affected by maltreatment

family preservation services

-activities that alleviate crises that might lead to out-of-home placements of children

-services to provide support to families so crises can be averted or to help families cope and stay together if crises do occur

-short-term, family-based services designed to assist families in crisis by improving parenting and family functioning while keeping children safe