preview

Child Neglect Research Paper

Decent Essays

“Over the years, my mom kicked and beat me, throttled me, threw me down the stairs and pushed me into a scalding hot bath. She once held my head under the water and another time she shoved a full bar of soap in my mouth. There are too many incidents to recount” (NCPCC). These words came directly from a child who experienced physical abuse from his own mother. Maltreatment of children has multiple forms including neglect, physical abuse, as well as sexual abuse which all produce a variety of negative effects; effects that not only harm the child as he or she grows but can also be found in adulthood.

Although all forms of abuse have negative consequences on child development, none are as prevalent and complex as neglect. Defining neglect is …show more content…

However, according to Boglut, neglect refers to the omission of some necessary gestures for the good development of a child. These gestures are omitted by persons which care for the child (20). One steady caregiver is required for all children, and it does not matter if the caregiver is a biological parent, foster parent, adoptive parent or grandparent, they bear the responsibility of the child’s wellbeing. Although child neglect can be hard to define, it can be agreed upon that it is a large issue as 78% of the 6 million annual cases filed in the US fall under the category of child neglect (Friedman, 253). Neglect is the largest form of abuse due to its complexity and the variety of actions that fall under its category. “Neglected children have the poorest outcomes in terms of academic performance and generally have more severe problems than children suffering from other forms of maltreatment” (Child Welfare Information Gateway, 323). Not only is neglect the most common form of abuse, it typically causes the most significant effects. Of the various negative consequences, child …show more content…

Oftentimes people consider sexual abuse to only include sexual penetration, but that is not the case. “Sexual abuse contains: luring, convincing, using, corrupting, forcing and constraining the minor in participating in sexual activities or assisting other persons during such activities which serve for pleasing the adult” (Boglut, 23). Much like neglect, sexual abuse constitutes a wide range of actions. Child sexual abuse has been found to cause the child fear in contacting children their own age, isolation, low concentration, avoiding situations such as gym class where he or she has to change, sleep disorders, and self-destructive behaviors (Boglut, 23). Additionally, mental health disorders are more prominent in adults who were sexually abused as children compared to adults who were not sexually abused as a child; these mental health problems include “depression, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, substance misuse, suicidal behavior, personality disorders and dissociation” (BAK-KLIMEK et al, 551). Mental health consequences often are long-lasting and follow the child into adulthood proving child sexual abuse has life long

Get Access