The US Department of Health and Human Services estimated that 906,000 children were victims of child abuse or neglect in 2003. While physical injuries may or may not be immediately visible, abuse and neglect can have consequences for children, families and society that last a lifetime, if not generations.
The secondary effects of child abuse and neglect are discussed in terms of physical, psychological, behavioral, mental, behavioral, spiritual, and social consequences. In reality, however, it is impossible to completely separate them. The physical consequences (such as damage to a child’s growing brain) may have psychological implications (cognitive delays or emotional difficulties). Psychological problems often manifest as high-risk behaviors. Depression and anxiety compel a person to smoke, abuse alcohol, use illegal or prescription drugs, and/or eating disorders. High-risk behaviors can lead to long-term physical health problems such as sexually transmitted diseases, vaginal, ovarian, or breast cancer in women; prostate, testicular in men, MS, chronic fatigue, lupus, etc.
Physical or sexual abuse can weaken the immune systems of survivors according to Dr. Frank Putnam of the National Institute of Mental Health and Dr. Martin Teicher of Harvard Medical School. Putnam conducted studies on 170 girls, ages 6 to 15, half had been abused, half had not, for seven years. The abused girls presented symptoms such as:
o Abnormally high stress hormones, which can kill neurons in areas of the brain crucial for thought and memory
o High levels of an antibody that weakens the immune system.
Teicher completed a series of brain studies on 402 children and adults, many of whom had been sexually or physically abused. His findings revealed that sexual or physical abuse creates:
o Arrested growth of the left hemisphere of the brain which can hinder the development of language and logic
o Growth of the right hemisphere of the brain (the site of emotion) at an abnormally young age
Physical health after effects:
The immediate physical effects of abuse or neglect can be relatively minor (bruises or cuts) or severe (broken bones, bleeding, or even death). In some cases the physical effects are temporary; however, the pain and suffering they cause a child needs to be addressed. Meanwhile, the long-term impact of child abuse and neglect on physical health is only beginning to be explored.
Here are some results that researchers have identified:
o Shaken baby syndrome. The immediate effects of shaking a baby (infant abuse) can include vomiting, concussion, difficulty breathing, seizures, and death. Long-term consequences can include blindness, learning disabilities, mental retardation, cerebral palsy, or paralysis (Conway, 1998).
o Impaired brain development. Child abuse and neglect have, in some cases, been shown to cause important regions of the brain to fail to form correctly, resulting in poor physical, mental, and emotional development (Perry, 2002; Shore, 1997). In other cases, the stress of chronic abuse causes a “hyperarousal” response in certain areas of the brain, which can lead to hyperactivity, sleep disturbances, and anxiety, as well as increased vulnerability to post-traumatic stress disorder, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. . disorder, conduct disorder, and learning and memory difficulties (Perry, 2001; Dallam, 2001).
o Poor physical health. A study of 700 children who had been in foster care for 1 year found that more than a quarter of the children had some type of recurring physical or mental health problem (National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-being). A study of 9,500 HMO participants showed an association between various forms of household dysfunction (including child abuse) and long-term health problems, such as sexually transmitted diseases, heart disease, cancer, chronic lung disease, skeletal fractures, and illness. hepatica (Hillis, Anda, Felitti, Nordenberg, & Marchbanks, 2000; Felitti, Anda, Nordenberg, Williamson, Spitz, Edwards, Koss, & Marks, 1998).
Side psychological effects:
The immediate emotional effects of abuse and neglect—isolation, fear, and an inability to trust—can translate into lifelong consequences, such as low self-esteem, depression, and relationship difficulties. Researchers have identified links between child abuse and neglect and the following:
o Poor mental and emotional health. In a long-term study, 80 percent of young adults who had been abused met diagnostic criteria for at least one psychiatric disorder by age 21. These young adults had many problems, including depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and suicide attempts (Silverman, Reinherz, & Giaconia, 1996). Other psychological and emotional conditions associated with abuse and neglect include: panic disorder, dissociative disorders, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and reactive attachment disorder (Teicher, 2000).
o Cognitive difficulties. The National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-being recently found that children placed in out-of-home care due to abuse or neglect tended to score lower than the general population on measures of cognitive ability, language development, and academic achievement (2003 ).
o Social difficulties. Children who are abused and neglected by their caregivers often do not form secure bonds with them. These early attachment difficulties can lead to later difficulties in relationships with other adults and with peers (Morrison, Frank, Holland, & Kates, 1999).
Behavioral Side Effects:
Not all victims of child abuse and neglect will experience behavioral consequences; however, child abuse and neglect appear to make the following more likely:
o Difficulties during adolescence. Studies have found that abused and neglected children are at least 25 percent more likely to experience problems such as delinquency, teen pregnancy, poor academic performance, drug use, and mental health problems (Kelley et al., 1997 ).
o Juvenile delinquency and adult delinquency. A study from the National Institute of Justice indicated that being abused or neglected as a child increased the likelihood of being arrested as a minor by 59 percent. Abuse and neglect increased the likelihood of adult criminal behavior by 28 percent and violent crime by 30 percent (Widom & Maxfield, 2001).
o Abuse of alcohol and other drugs. Research consistently shows that abused and neglected children are more likely to smoke cigarettes, abuse alcohol, or use illicit drugs. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, up to two-thirds of people in drug treatment programs report being abused as children (2000).
or Abusive behavior. Abusive parents have often experienced abuse during their own childhood. It is estimated that approximately one third of abused and neglected children will eventually victimize their own children (Prevent Child Abuse New York, 2001).
Later social effects:
While child abuse and neglect often occur within the family, the impact does not end there. Society as a whole country pays a price for child abuse and neglect, in terms of direct and indirect costs.
o Direct costs. Direct costs include those associated with maintaining a child welfare system to investigate reports of child abuse and neglect, as well as the costs of the justice, police, health, and mental health systems to respond to and treat abused children. and their families. A 2001 Prevent Child Abuse America report estimates these costs at $24 billion annually.
o Indirect costs. Indirect costs represent the long-term economic consequences of child abuse and neglect. These include juvenile and adult criminal activity, mental and emotional dysfunction, substance abuse, and domestic violence; loss of productivity due to unemployment and underemployment; the cost of special education services and increased use of the health care system. Prevent Child Abuse America recently estimated that these costs exceed $69 billion per year (2001).
Summary
From the research that has been done on the side effects of child abuse and neglect, the effects vary depending on the circumstances of the abuse or neglect, the personal characteristics of the child, and the child’s environment. The consequences, whether mild or severe, last a lifetime, unless there is emotional and spiritual healing. Ultimately, due to the costs associated with public entities such as health care, human services, and education systems, abuse and neglect affect not only the child and family, but society as a whole. The estimated total direct and indirect cost to society of child abuse (verbal, physical/sexual, and neglect) is $103 billion annually.