PSYCHOLOGICAL AND
NEUROBIOLOGICAL CONSEQUENCES OF
CHILD ABUSE
SUMMARY
1 of 82
,Content
• Week 1
• Lecture 1
• Literature
• Week 2
• Lecture 2
• Literature
• Week 3
• Lecture 3
• Literature
• Week 4
• Lecture 4
• Literature
• Week 5
• Lecture 5
• Literature
• Week 6
• Lecture 6
• Literature
• Week 7
• Lecture 7
• Literature
• Week 8
• Lecture 8
• Literature
2 of 82
, WEEK 1 Lecture 1
• Psychological Consequences of Childhood Abuse & Neglect
• Background (terminology, prevalence)
• Psychological disorders a er maltreatment
• Underlying mechanisms
Many researchers studied the relationship between mother & infant and its’
consequences (Freud, John Bowlby, Mary Ainsworth, Harry Harlow, etc.) Numerous
ndings that childhood abuse and neglect have pervasive consequences for mental
and physical health.
• There is a higher chance of developing psychopathology a er experiencing
childhood abuse or neglect.
“The infant & young child should experience a warm, intimate, and continuous
relationship with his mother, (or permanent mother substitute) in which both nd
“satisfaction & enjoyment) and that not to do so may have signi cant and irreversible
mental health consequences.”
(Bowlby)
Importance of Good (Enough) Parenting
Healthy emotional interactions with caretaker fundament for later development. It
helps the child to:
• Form Attachment: if you attach well in infancy & childhood, it is easier to attach in
adulthood with others.
• Establish Sense of Safety and Security: not just a roof, giving the feeling of
emotional safety.
• Learn to Regulate Own Emotions: e.g. they have to learn how to deal with stress.
• Learn to Understand Emotional States of Others: how to deal with the emotions of
others.
• Learn to Trust Others
• Learn Empathy: willing to take the perspective of another.
Childhood Maltreatment: the term stands for both abuse and neglect.
3 of 82
fi ft ft fi fi
, “Any act of commission or omission by a parent to another caregiver that results in
harm, potential for harm, or threat of harm to a child. Harm does not need to be
intended and it may not be on purpose.”
COMMISSION
OMISSION
Actively doing something harmful =
Failure to meet a child’s needs =
abuse.
neglect.
• Physical Abuse: Intentional use of
• Physical Neglect: failure to meet a
physical force against a child that
child’s basic physical, medical/
potentially result in physical
dental, or educational needs;
injury.
failure to provide adequate
• Emotional Abuse: Intentional
nutrition, hygiene, or shelter.
behavior that conveys to a child
(Too small shoes, no clothes,
that he or she is worthless,
food, etc.)
awed, unwanted, unloved,
• Emotional Neglect: failure to
endangered, or valued only when
meet a child’s emotional needs
meeting another’s needs. e.g.
and failure to protect a child from
calling your child names, making
violence in the home or
them feel worthless.
neighborhood.
• Sexual Abuse: Any completed/
• Denial of Access to Education:
attempted sexual act/contact/
not giving you child the right for
non contact interaction with a
education.
child by a caregiver. has sexual
consequences.
Prevalence of Childhood Maltreatment (WHO)
4 of 82
fl
NEUROBIOLOGICAL CONSEQUENCES OF
CHILD ABUSE
SUMMARY
1 of 82
,Content
• Week 1
• Lecture 1
• Literature
• Week 2
• Lecture 2
• Literature
• Week 3
• Lecture 3
• Literature
• Week 4
• Lecture 4
• Literature
• Week 5
• Lecture 5
• Literature
• Week 6
• Lecture 6
• Literature
• Week 7
• Lecture 7
• Literature
• Week 8
• Lecture 8
• Literature
2 of 82
, WEEK 1 Lecture 1
• Psychological Consequences of Childhood Abuse & Neglect
• Background (terminology, prevalence)
• Psychological disorders a er maltreatment
• Underlying mechanisms
Many researchers studied the relationship between mother & infant and its’
consequences (Freud, John Bowlby, Mary Ainsworth, Harry Harlow, etc.) Numerous
ndings that childhood abuse and neglect have pervasive consequences for mental
and physical health.
• There is a higher chance of developing psychopathology a er experiencing
childhood abuse or neglect.
“The infant & young child should experience a warm, intimate, and continuous
relationship with his mother, (or permanent mother substitute) in which both nd
“satisfaction & enjoyment) and that not to do so may have signi cant and irreversible
mental health consequences.”
(Bowlby)
Importance of Good (Enough) Parenting
Healthy emotional interactions with caretaker fundament for later development. It
helps the child to:
• Form Attachment: if you attach well in infancy & childhood, it is easier to attach in
adulthood with others.
• Establish Sense of Safety and Security: not just a roof, giving the feeling of
emotional safety.
• Learn to Regulate Own Emotions: e.g. they have to learn how to deal with stress.
• Learn to Understand Emotional States of Others: how to deal with the emotions of
others.
• Learn to Trust Others
• Learn Empathy: willing to take the perspective of another.
Childhood Maltreatment: the term stands for both abuse and neglect.
3 of 82
fi ft ft fi fi
, “Any act of commission or omission by a parent to another caregiver that results in
harm, potential for harm, or threat of harm to a child. Harm does not need to be
intended and it may not be on purpose.”
COMMISSION
OMISSION
Actively doing something harmful =
Failure to meet a child’s needs =
abuse.
neglect.
• Physical Abuse: Intentional use of
• Physical Neglect: failure to meet a
physical force against a child that
child’s basic physical, medical/
potentially result in physical
dental, or educational needs;
injury.
failure to provide adequate
• Emotional Abuse: Intentional
nutrition, hygiene, or shelter.
behavior that conveys to a child
(Too small shoes, no clothes,
that he or she is worthless,
food, etc.)
awed, unwanted, unloved,
• Emotional Neglect: failure to
endangered, or valued only when
meet a child’s emotional needs
meeting another’s needs. e.g.
and failure to protect a child from
calling your child names, making
violence in the home or
them feel worthless.
neighborhood.
• Sexual Abuse: Any completed/
• Denial of Access to Education:
attempted sexual act/contact/
not giving you child the right for
non contact interaction with a
education.
child by a caregiver. has sexual
consequences.
Prevalence of Childhood Maltreatment (WHO)
4 of 82
fl
