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Child Emotional Maltreatment: A 2-Year Study of U.S. Army Cases

NCJ Number
205660
Journal
Child Abuse & Neglect Volume: 25 Issue: 5 Dated: May 2001 Pages: 623-639
Author(s)
Linda K. Jellen; James E. McCarroll; Laurie E. Thayer
Date Published
May 2001
Length
17 pages
Annotation
This research identified the types of child emotional maltreatment substantiated by military authorities in a community of U.S. Army families who lived temporarily in Germany.
Abstract
Data were obtained from minutes of case review committees (CRC's) for 181 cases of child emotional abuse in 1997-98. All of the cases were under a single U.S. authority, which exclusively managed incidents of child abuse, even though the referral may have come from the German civil sector. The incidents examined were coded as one of four types: primary emotional abuse (emotional abuse without another form of child maltreatment), witnessing spouse abuse, emotional abuse that occurred in conjunction with child physical abuse, and emotional abuse that occurred in conjunction with child neglect. Cases involved both a single child (62 incidents), as well as more than 1 child (50 incidents). Of the total number of cases reviewed, 125 were substantiated and 56 were unsubstantiated. The type of emotional abuse most often substantiated was witnessing domestic violence (60 percent of all cases). Primary emotional abuse was present in 26 percent of the cases, and emotional abuse in conjunction with child physical abuse or neglect was found in 14 percent of the cases. The more severe the emotional abuse, the more likely it was to be substantiated. Emotional abuse was substantiated as a single type of abuse rather than in combination with other forms of maltreatment. Mild primary emotional child abuse consisted of single incidents or a small number of instances of a parent swearing, yelling at the child, or calling the child dumb or stupid. Moderate primary emotional abuse was a pattern of berating or yelling at the child. Severe primary emotional abuse was telling the child that he/she was hated, wishing that he/she had never been born, constant berating, or the threat of abandonment. Viewing emotional abuse as a separate and distinct form of maltreatment may permit clinicians to focus on a relationship or situation that is potentially harmful to the child psychologically, such as spouse abuse. Recognizing the emotionally abusive aspects of child physical abuse and neglect contributes to an expanded treatment plan that would include attention to the emotionally abusive behavior. This can assist in developing a healthy emotional bond between the caregiver and the child as part of the effort to reduce physical abuse and/or neglect. 4 tables and 45 references