NCJ Number
47090
Journal
Child Abuse and Neglect Volume: 1 Issue: 1 Dated: (1977) Pages: 99-103
Date Published
1977
Length
5 pages
Annotation
DURING 1975-1976, THREE FRENCH RESEARCH TEAMS PUBLISHED THE RESULTS OF THEIR FOLLOWUP STUDIES ON ABUSED CHILDREN; THE FINDINGS OF THE THIRD STUDY, THE PARIS STUDY, ARE SUMMARIZED.
Abstract
THE PARIS RESEARCH WAS CARRIED OUT ON A POPULATION OF 70 CHILDREN WHO HAD SUFFERED ABUSE. OUT OF THE 70, 6 HAD DIED AT THE TIME OF OR SHORTLY AFTER HOSPITALIZATION, AND 10 COULD NOT BE RETRACED. REGARDING THE REMAINING 54, INFORMATION ON 20 WAS OBTAINED INDIRECTLY, AND 34 WERE SUBMITTED IN 1974 TO A CLINICAL CHECK-UP CONDUCTED BY A MEMBER OF THE TEAM, USUALLY A PEDO-PSYCHIATRIST OR PSYCHOLOGIST. OUT OF THE 54 CHILDREN, 24 LIVE WITH THEIR FAMILY, WHICH THEY EITHER NEVER LEFT OR TO WHICH THEY WERE RETURNED AFTER TEMPORARY FOSTERING. THIRTY ARE STILL IN FOSTER CARE SITUATIONS. NINETEEN CARRY PHYSICAL MARKS THAT RESULTED FROM THEIR ABUSE; THESE ARE MINOR IN MOST CASES, BUT FOUR PRESENT A SEVERE NEUROLOGICAL STATE OWNING TO SUBDURAL HEMATOMA. HALF OF THE CHILDREN WHO ARE OF SCHOOL AGE DO NOT ATTEND SCHOOL AT ALL OR SHOW SEVERE BACKWARDNESS. VARIOUS FORMS OF BEHAVIOR DISTURBANCE (ENURESIS, AGGRESSIVE OR APATHETIC BEHAVIOR, ETC.) ARE MANIFEST AMONG THE CHILDREN WHO REMAINED WITH THEIR FAMILY AS WELL AS AMONG THOSE UNDER FOSTER CARE. WHEN BOTH GROUPS ARE COMPARED, IT MAY BE CONCLUDED THAT THE PROGNOSIS FOR THE FUTURE OF THOSE CHILDREN WHO REMAINED WITH THEIR FAMILY APPEARS BRIGHTER FROM THE VIEWPOINT OF THEIR SOCIOPROFESSIONAL ADAPTATION AND OF THEIR ABILITY TO ACHIEVE LASTING EMOTIONAL RELATIONSHIPS. THE LACK OF COORDINATION AMONG THE VARIOUS CHILD PROTECTION STRUCTURES (MEDICAL, SOCIAL, JUDICIAL, ETC.) AND THE INEFFECTIVENESS OF EFFORTS TO SECURE A STEADY, SAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR THE CHILD ARE UNDERSCORED. IT WAS FOUND THAT THE CONDITION OF SIBLINGS OF THE 54 CHILDREN WAS HARDLY MORE SATISFACTORY; HALF OF THEM HAD A PROBLEMATIC RELATIONSHIP WITH THEIR PARENTS AND PRESENT PSYCHOLOGICAL DISORDERS AT LEAST AS SEVERE AS THOSE OF THE INITIALLY ABUSED CHILD. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT THE FINDINGS OF THE THREE FRENCH STUDIES ARE IDENTICAL IN MANY RESPECTS, ALTHOUGH THEY WERE CARRIED OUT INDEPENDENTLY. A BIBLIOGRAPHY IS PROVIDED. (KBL)