Emotional Abuse and Mental Injury: A Critique of the Concepts and a Recommendation for Practice
Journal of the American Academy of Child PsychiatryPublished 1 March 1982
C Kavanagh
Citations25
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TL;DR
Research on the effects of deviant parenting on the psychological and physical state of the child is reviewed in an attempt to delineate reliably occurring, objectifiable injury.
Abstract
The imperative to include emotional abuse and neglect in state child abuse reporting statutes has been burdened with inadequate definitions of mental injury and inconclusive studies of etiology. Confusion has been increased by legal standards that require the reporting of injury in situations where observable injury often does not occur. Research on the effects of deviant parenting on the psychological and physical state of the child is reviewed in an attempt to delineate reliably occurring, objectifiable injury. With the exception of psychosocial dwarfism, no objective abnormal physical or psychological syndrome has been reliably demonstrated in the child whom most would term emotionally abused or neglected. An approach to the problem is suggested and a legal position is recommended. Journal of the American Academy of Child Psychiatry, 21, 2:171–177, 1982.
Keywords
PsychologySocial SciencesMedicine
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