Child Abuse and Maltreatment/Neglect: Identification and Reporting

Chapter Four - The Consequences of Child Abuse

Chapter 1: Recognition of Child Abuse, Maltreatment, and Neglect

Chapter 2: Reporting Child Abuse and Maltreatment/Neglect

Chapter 3: The Abandoned Infant Protection Act

Chapter 4: The Consequences of Child Abuse
Introduction
Physical Health
Consequences
Psychological
Consequences
Behavioral
Consequences
Societal Consequences
The Consequences in
Statistical Form

References

Appendices

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Psychological Consequences

The immediate emotional effects of abuse and neglect- isolation, fear, and an inability to trust- can translate into lifelong consequences including low self-esteem, depression, and relationship difficulties.

Researchers have identified links between child abuse and neglect and the following:

  • Poor mental and emotional health. In one long-term study, as many as 80 percent of young adults who had been abused met the diagnostic criteria for at least one psychiatric disorder at age 21. These young adults exhibited many problems, including depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and suicide attempts. 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.

  • Cognitive difficulties. The National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being recently found children placed in out-of-home care due to abuse or neglect tended to score lower than the general population on measures of cognitive capacity, language development, and academic achievement.

  • Social difficulties. Children who are abused and neglected by caretakers often do not form secure attachments to them. These early attachment difficulties can lead to later difficulties in relationships with other adults as well as with peers.

Continue on to Behavioral Consequences