Chapter 13: Family Violence and Child Maltreatment

family violence

any act or omission by persons who are cohabitating that results in serious injury to other members of the family

serious injury can be physical, emotional, or the restriction or violation of another’s rights

psychiatric model

assumes that individuals who are abusive towards family members are deviant, mentally ill, or substance abusers

the illness (psychopathology) causes them to engage in violent or neglectful behavior

not all individuals with psychiatric disorders are abusive

what is a significant limitation of the psychiatric model?

culture of violence theory

presumes that there are societal subcultures within which individuals learn violent behaviors and are socialized to view these behaviors as acceptable 

children’s tv shows, video games, sports, and toys reinforce violent or aggressive behaviors 

patriarchy model

emphasizes the acceptance o male dominance as a major cause of family violence

it does not account for violence toward men

what is a limitation of the patriarchy model?

social learning theory

stresses the concept that violent behavior is learned and, therefore, often leads to generational patterns of violence 

adults within the child's environment serve as models that children emulate. children observe adult behaviors and consequences 

the more often children view such behaviors, the more likely they are to consider them acceptable and appropriate ways to deal with frustration and stress

exchange or social control theory

suggests that violence occurs when the rewards for committing violent behavior are greater than the penalties

rewards and cost

social control theory explains violence in terms of what?

ecological theory

examines maltreatment from a systems perspective and attempts to explain violence as a consequence fo interacting level variables

children are affected not only by their direct relationships (microsystem) but also by the interactions that occur among caregivers (mesosystem) even if there is no direct contact with a perpetrator

limited access to resources which result in unmet needs

how does socioeconomic status lead to child maltreatment?

maltreatment

occurs from an ecological systems perspective: a) a culture that supports the use of physical force against children and b) an inadequate availability and use of support systems

arises when there is a mismatch between the parent, child, and family to the neighborhood and community

adult characteristics that are associated with child maltreatment

history of child abuse, substance misuse, criminality, and violence towards others outside of the family

parents who have significant mental health concerns (schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or depression)

adults who were abused during childhood (particularly women) and polyvictimization

parents who approve of harsher disciplinary practices, and those who interpret child misbehavior negatively, or do not show empathy with the chld

alcohol usage, unemployment, substance abuse, psychiatric problems

polyvictimization

exposure to multiple maltreatment forms (physical, sexual, neglect, etc)

false

true/false: adults from only certain social subgroups are likely to abuse children

physical abuse

children, particularly males, under the age of 1 year are at the highest risk for what kind of abuse?

sexual abuse

girls between the ages of 2 and 17 are more likely to be victims of which kind of abuse?

characteristics that put children at an increased risk for maltreatment

children who have difficult temperament, those with functional impairments (physical, intellectual, behavioral), LGBTQ children, premature birth, and living in a single-parent household

environmental factors associated with child maltreatment

parents who live in high poverty areas or low income countries, frequent moves, unavailable services, single-parent households, african americans, exposure to violence

reasons why children of minority groups are at a higher risk for maltreatment

prejudice, lack of services, and jurisdictional confusion 

why victims stay in dangerous relationships

the cycle of abuse, poor self-esteem, feelings of helplessness, fear of retaliation, economic and/or religious reasons, or a desire to maintain the family system whatever the costs

neglect

most cases of child maltreatment are due to what?

physical neglect

involves a family’s failure to provide for a child’s basic physical needs and care, such as food, clean and safe housing, and appropriate clothing, and failure to obtain medical care

failure to protect children from endangerment and allowing children access to substances

factors of if a child is ready to stay home alone

includes child’s age, mental ability, physical condition, length of the parent’s absence, and home environment

emotional neglect

parents who may not be responsive to a child’s distress or social needs, or they may require children to complete tasks that are unsafe or beyond their ability 

infants may show slower physical growth and development 

children who do not establish a secure attachment

educational neglect

includes failure to enroll children in school, or to ensure that a child receives appropriate educational services (homeschooling, special education) deprives them of opportunities to learn, and is detrimental to their health and development

can occur for lack of information about education laws, no transportation, child behavioral or social problems, and parental work or mental health problems 

physical abuse

occurs when children experience non-accidental injuries that are inflicted by a caregiver

may include hitting, kicking, beating with an object, burning, throwing, shaking, and pushing that lead to injuries, such as bruises, fractures, scratches, and burns

often beings as punishment for misbehavior

leads to reduced hippocampal volume, PTSD, increased aggression,

sexual abuse

is committed if an adult engages in sexual behaviors, such as rape, fondling, or pornography, with a child

perpetrators are often known to the child (family member, friend, or neighbor) and girls are at an increased risk

traffickers are most likely to target vulnerable youth

emotional abuse

harms children’s emotional well-being and sense of self-worth. often involves a caregiver’s repeated verbal assaults, like belittling, manipulating, isolating, ignoring, rejecting, shaming, bullying, or destroying a child’s objects

children may be called names, threatened, or rejected 

is less punishable because there is no evidence 

fear

children who are traumatized by maltreatment are more likely to react to stimuli with ____

effects on children’s development

maltreatment can cause cognitive impairments (executive functioning, attention, learning, memory, working memory, visuospatial perception, and processing speed), poor self-esteem and response to adversity, and mental health concerns

depressive, irritable, or anxious temperament, maladjustment rates, and respond as if they are in danger

school staff, health care providers, law enforcement, social service, and religious professionals 

who is required to report abuse to authorities?

information when making a report about child abuse

reporter’s relationship to the child suspected of maltreatment, information about the child, name of the person suspected of the abuse, the nature and extent of injury, approximate date the maltreatment occurred, and child’s location and current safety

protect the child from harm, notify child protective authorities, and notice signs of maltreatment

what actions does the NAEYC code of ethics require early childhood professionals to take if they become aware of a situation in which a child may be endangered?

community focus to protect children 

developing resources that strengthen families’ ability to create safe, stable, and nurturing environments for children 

improving neighborhood environments 

community and school violence prevention programs that target prosocial behaviors and decrease emotional desensitization 

parenting improvement

encouraging an at-risk parent to attend parenting classes and linking families to essential community services

strengthen parent-child relationships by creating a positive environment

programs that include home visits and interventions to reduce stress improved parenting skills and lowered child maltreatment rates

building and supporting children’s resilience

social support that focus on increasing personal skills and minimizing the negative impact of adverse experiences 

school engagement or connections to other meaningful adults or social networks 

teaching children coping, communication, problem solving, and self-regulation strategies 

providing access to quality therapy 

increasing children’s resilience, helping parents to reduce stress, and addressing broader parenting factors

what key strategies of the ecological approach are designed to prevent and treat family violence?

community involvement

the CDC recommendation to reduce child maltreatment is based on what?

adversity

children who have experienced maltreatment benefit from developing resilience because it helps them adapt to what?

parents have difficulty meeting their children’s needs

poverty increases the likelihood of neglect because?

data collection and sharing, accountability across systems, and collaboration among multiple agencies

what has the CECANF identified as core components of the child welfare system?

generational patterns of violence 

social learning theory attempts to explain family violence in terms of what?

chronic violence, stressful life events, and high parental stress

what conditions increase the likelihood that children who are exposed to intimate partner violence will develop PTSD?

emotional

what type of neglect is unresponsiveness to social needs?

true

true/false: women who were abused during childhood are more likely to abuse children than are men who were abused during childhood

crime

neighborhood improvements can help reduce the incidence of child maltreatment because of their effect on ____

strengthen relationships

the primary goal of most parent education programs is to what?

they don’t know it’s wrong, can’t stand up for themselves, and it’s normalized to spank a child

why are younger children typically more abused than older children?

breaking the cycle of family violence

community focus, emphasis on parenting improvement, and building and supporting children’s resilience