NCJ Number
54713
Journal
Public Welfare Volume: 36 Issue: 4 Dated: (FALL 1978) Pages: 22-25
Date Published
1978
Length
4 pages
Annotation
THIS ARTICLE IS CONCERNED WITH THE PREDICTION OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT, THE RESOURCE THEORY OF VIOLENCE, PSYCHOTIC BEHAVIOR VERSUS CHARACTER DISORDER, AND CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT PREVENTION.
Abstract
ONE OF THE MAJOR GAPS IN CHILD ABUSE LITERATURE IS THE LACK OF RESEARCH ON WHY PEOPLE FROM SIMILAR BACKGROUNDS AND WITH SIMILAR EXPERIENCES BECOME ABUSIVE PARENTS WHILE OTHERS DO NOT. RETROSPECTIVELY, PSYCHODYNAMIC EXPLANATIONS HELP TO UNDERSTAND HOW AND WHY PERSONS REACH A PARTICULAR LEVEL OF DEVELOPMENT. THESE EXPLANATIONS CANNOT BE USED PROSPECTIVELY; I.E., IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO PREDICT THAT PERSONS WILL END UP IN PARTICULAR SITUATIONS BY CONSIDERING PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS. CHILD-REARING MODES COMPLICATE A PSYCHOPATHOLOGICAL THEORY OF FAMILY VIOLENCE, OF WHICH CHILD ABUSE IS ONE MANIFESTATION. FAMILY VIOLENCE IS AN INDIVIDUAL RESPONSE BUT ONLY IN THE CONTEXT OF SOCIETY'S VALUE SYSTEM. THE RESOURCE THEORY OF VIOLENCE TAKES INTO ACCOUNT THE BROAD CONTEXT OF THE SOCIAL STRUCTURE, AN INDIVIDUAL'S BACKGROUND, AND SOCIETAL VALUES REGARDING VIOLENCE. WITHIN THIS FRAMEWORK, WHEN A PERSON IS SUBJECTED TO STRESS AND ATTEMPTS TO UTILIZE BOTH INNER AND OUTER RESOURCES TO COPE, VIOLENCE IS THE LAST RESORT WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS. SYMBIOSIS IS CONCEIVED OF AS AN UNDERLYING PSYCHOTIC PROCESS OF FAMILY DEPENDENCY. ACCOMPANYING THIS DEPENDENCY IS POOR IMPULSE CONTROL, POOR SELF-IMAGE, LOW SELF-ESTEEM, AND OTHER CHARACTERISTICS USUALLY REFERRED TO AS CHARACTER DISORDERS. IN CHARACTER DISORDERS, THERE IS USUALLY NO UNDERLYING PSYCHOTIC STRUCTURE ASSOCIATED WITH SYMBIOSIS. DEFICIENCIES IN CHILD-REARING PRACTICES ARE NOT DUE TO LACK OF INFORMATION; THEY ARE CAUSED BY INABILITY TO LEARN STEMMING FROM INTERNAL CONFLICTS AND ANXIETIES. TO EFFECT CHANGES IN CHILD-REARING AND TO PREVENT CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT, IT IS NECESSARY TO REDUCE STRUCTURAL STRESSES ENCOUNTERED BY THE POPULATION IN DAILY LIFE AND TO CHANGE SOCIETAL APPROVAL OF VIOLENCE. REFERENCES AND NOTES ARE INCLUDED. (DEP)