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EMOTIONAL/PSYCHOLOGICAL ABUSE

 FACT SHEET

DEFINITION of the TERM: Emotional/Psychological Abuse

Emotional/Psychological abuse is referred to in the professional literature by many interchangeable terms such as: emotional abuse, covert abuse, psychological maltreatment, coercive abuse, abuse by proxy, and ambient abuse.

Psychological maltreatment is a concerted attack by an adult on a child’s development of self and social competence, a pattern of psychically destructive behavior to the child.  (Garbarino, et al, 1986, as cited in Tomison & Tucci, 1997).

Psychological abuse can be defined as a repeated pattern of damaging interactions between parent(s) and child that becomes typical of the relationship… when a person conveys to a child that he or she is worthless, flawed, unloved, unwanted, endangered, or only of value in meeting another’s needs (Kairys & Johnson, 2002).

Emotional abuse is the systematic, patterned and chronic abuse that is used by a perpetrator to lower a victim's sense of self, self-worth and power (Mezey, Post & Maxwell, 2002).

It [psychological/emotional abuse] is most damaging to children, who are not aware, nor have control over, the pattern of relationships surrounding them, is almost always a precursor or accompaniment to physical aggression, and is based on maintaining consistent power and control over time (Garbarino, 1994).

Prevalence of Emotional Abuse

• Emotional/Psychological abuse can alone but is also always a component of physical or sexual abuse.  Indeed, it is the emotional/psychological abuse component of physical and sexual abuse which is most damaging to children and leads to the long term harmful consequences of such abuse.

• The United States National Incidence Study of Child Abuse and Neglect reports an overall rate of child maltreatment of 1.5 million children.
  • 204,500 of these children are recorded for emotional abuse
  • 212,800 of the 1.5 million children are recorded under the category of emotional neglect (Sedlak & Broadhurst, 1996)

• Emotional/psychological abuse is the most common form of child abuse. According to Doyle’s Child Abuse Review which surveyed a population of 504 respondents, 29% had been emotionally abused by caregivers compared to the 9% who had been sexually abused and the 14% who had been physically abused (Doyle, 1997).

• Children raised in homes where they are exposed to domestic violence between the parents but are never hit themselves experience the same emotional and behavior problems associated with verbal/emotional abuse, i.e., exposure to marital abuse is a form of emotional/psychological abuse of children.

Behaviors of Emotional/Psychological Abusers

• Psychological/emotional abuse involves behavior patterns that involve one or all of the following: Rejecting, Degrading, Terrorizing, Isolating, Corrupting/Exploiting, Denying Emotional Responsiveness (Garbarino, 1994).

•  Examples of these behaviors includes encouraging children to develop behavior that is self-destructive, behavior that is threatening or is likely to place the child or child’s loved ones in danger, ignoring a child’s attempt to interact, interacting without emotion, and preventing a child from interacting with other children or adults outside of the home (Garbarino et al, 1986).

• Name calling, threatening to kill the victim's family or pet; controlling access to finances; isolating the victim from family and friends; coercing the victim to perform degrading, humiliating or illegal acts; interfering with job, medical or educational opportunities; or making the victim feel powerless and ashamed (Mezey, Post & Maxwell,  2002).

• Perpetrators of emotional/psychological abuse often consciously employ a strategy called, “gaslighting”  in which they present an alternate reality to their victims, police, therapists and judges.  Gaslighting involves denying what occurred, offering plausible but untrue accounts of what occurred, or suggesting the victim is imagining things, exaggerating or lying.   Gaslighting strategies leave victims doubting their own perceptions, memory or sanity and serve to confuse police, judges and therapists into inaction or worse, supporting the abuser, while leaving the victims feeling helpless and alone against the abuse (Forward, 2003; Engel, 2002, Stern, 2007).

• Monopolization of perceptions is often part of the abuser’s brainwashing-like tactics whereby the abuser insists upon the children also believe what he/she says is true and that they’re perceptions, opinions or ideas are mistaken or unworthy.  (Loring, 1997)

• Constant criticism, demeaning behaviors, threats, use of male/parent privilege, withholding affection or threatening abandonment for non-compliance with abuser’s demands and personal humiliation are further consistent, on-going tactics of the emotional/psychological abuser (Pilowsky, 1993; Parkeer, 1996; Follingstad, 1990; Marshall, 1996; Hoffman, 1984; Alexander, 1993, Chang, 1996; Jacko, 1995; Loring, 1997).

• The continuous and unrelenting patern of emotional abuse is often interspersed with warmth and kindness to create an “in and out” of bonding , “crazy making” experience for the children and spouse. (Loring, 1997).

Behavioral  Symptoms of Children Victimized by Psychological/Emotional Abuse

·         Research indicates that abuse/maltreatment of any type adversely affects children’s academic achievement, cognitive skills and social/psychological adjustment (Kendall-Tackett & Eckenrode, 1996; Kendall-Tackett, Meyer & Findelhor, 1993; Oddone, Genuis & Violato, 2001).

·         Research finds that exposure to high levels of inter-parental conflict is harmful to children (including covert conflict such as placing the child in the middle of conflicts) resulting in higher levels of behavior problems, poorer academic achievement and higher levels of emotional distress (Amato, 2000; Amato & Resac, 1994; Pruett, et al, 2003 and Adamson & parley, 2006).

·         Verbal/emotional aggression by parents is more strongly related to children’s aggression and interpersonal problems than is physical aggression (Strauss, et al, 1991)

·         The most common symptomatic outcomes found with children exposed to emotional/psychological abuse are eating disorders, substance abuse, aggressive behavior, withdrawal , criminal activity, suicide and self harm (Doyle, 1997).

·         Research finds that as the amount of verbal/emotional abuse by parents increases the probability of children’s behavior problems also increases including aggressive behaviors, delinquency and interpersonal conflicts.

·         Fear, isolation, withdrawal, feelings of abandonment and helplessness, overly compliant/submissive behavior, self-blaming, and humiliation are common responses of children to emotional/psychological abuse (Tomison & Tucci, 1997).

Societal Costs of Abuse

·         Childhood victims of abuse and neglect are significantly more likely to be arrested as juveniles or adults for non-traffic offenses and violent crimes (National Center on Child Abuse & Neglect, 1995).

·         Preventative measures need to occur to stop the cycle of psychological harm occurring in families with young children.  Without intervention, children living with families who are psychologically manipulative and abusive will suffer long-lasting effects on their mental health and well-being (Bifulco et al., 2002).  This ultimately results in higher health care costs and judicial time and expense.

·         Childhood psychological abuse is highly related to chronic or recurrent adult depression, delinquency, aggression, suicidal behavior, personality disorders and child victimization (Bifulco, et. al, 2002) resulting in costly medical expenses for treatment and juvenile justice involvement.

·         Research has shown emotional abuse to be a strong indicator of increased risk for psychiatric and physical illnesses among adult females (Spertus, et al, 2003).

·         Children who suffer emotional abuse often grow into adults who see themselves through the eyes of the abuser carrying a sense of inadequacy and worthlessness that negatively impacts their job performance, marital and social relationships and increases antisocial behaviors (National Council on Child Abuse and Family Violence, 2007).

Long term consequences                                                     

·         Juvenile and adult criminal activities                               

·         Mental health services                                                                           $69 Billion per year

·         Domestic violence

·         Substance abuse services                                                          

Direct Costs

·         Child Welfare System costs to investigate allegations       

·         Treatment Costs                                                                                          $24  Billion per year 

·         Teen  pregnancy

(Prevention Child Abuse, 2001)

Proposed Legislation: Why is new FL legislation needed?

• The current child abuse statute in the State of Florida does not provide protection for victims of emotional/psychological abuse despite it being of greater prevalence than physical and sexual abuse and having the more grave long-term consequences for life adjustment and mental health.

(Florida Statute ch. 827 § 03, 2007). 

• HB 1169/SB  2736 will enhance the capacity of the State of Florida to protect children of abuse by

expanding the existing child abuse statute to include the definition of “mental injury” as provided in F.S. 39.01 (Florida Statute ch. 39 § 01(41), 2007)  and provide compensation for victims of emotional abuse (House Bill 1169, 2007)

• Speech and acts protected by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution or s. 4, Art. I of the FL State Constitution are exempted from prosecution under the proposed legislation (House Bill 1169, 2007).    

Recommendations for Intervention

• Current Florida Law regarding domestic abuse and neglect appears to be counter-productive by creating an incentive not to report for victims.  Victims often fear that the abuser, if primary breadwinner, might be incarcerated placing the family in serious financial jeopardy; threats of which the perpetrator uses to silence and control family members. .  International comparisons suggest our current system may significantly decrease reporting of abuse by as much as 80% .  Thus our present system itself employs a form of “financial abuse” through standard judicial interventions.

• The Courts need to establish a system for domestic violence cases similar to the St Lucie County Circuit Court’s Mental Health Court  for domestic violence issues.  The Domestic Violence Court could look to the practices in those countries with a history of more effective practices for domestic violence issues (psychological/emotional and physical) such as The Netherlands.  Such Domestic Violence Courts would focus on establishing temporary protective strategies such as, removal of the offender from the home and/or restraining orders while simultaneously mandating optimal, on-going treatment programs for both victims and perpetrators.  Incarceration of offenders would be reserved as a last resort intervention for non-compliance with treatment or repeated offenses.

• Mandated treatment programs must be consistent with best-of-practice guidelines.  Therapeutic interventions must be on-going (a year or more minimum) and intensive.  Moreover, treatment must be provided only by experienced mental health practitioners with specific training in working with domestic violence, abuse, trauma, developmental theory, personality disorders, parent coordination and conflict resolution.

• A court appointed Domestic Violence Coordinator needs to be assigned by the courts with responsibility for ensuring comprehensive treatment plans (particularly those involving children) are implemented, complied with, coordinated and effective in regard to measurable outcomes.

• Treatment should be mandated not only for perpetrators but for all victims including both the affected children and the spouse (Iwaniec & Herbert, 1999).

• A collaborative partnership needs to be encouraged between police, courts, attorneys and mental health professionals to improve knowledge and skills regarding recognizing signs of emotional/psychological abuse as well as effective interventions.  The primary goal being to better care for victims and provide optimal treatment for offenders.

• Expertise in identifying the signs of, and the effective treatment of domestic violence - including psychological/emotional abuse- must be improved among mental health professionals as well as family doctors, pediatricians, police officers and teachers.

• Treatment for children who are victims of emotional/psychological abuse needs to include an emphasis on establishing personal boundaries, a sense of autonomy, recognizing appropriate versus inappropriate parental behaviors (particularly in divorce/marital conflicts).  Supportive therapy treatment for the victimized spouse should focus also on recognizing gaslighting strategies and recognizing their vulnerability to such abuse so as to avoid future situations.

• Prosecutors should make efforts to adopt a multidisciplinary team approach by incorporating services available to children such as victim support, advocacy, economic assistance, counseling, health and social services (Model Guidelines, 2001).

NOTE:  The United States, in comparison with other advanced nations, has a less than exemplary record in regard to protecting children.  Only two countries have failed to ratify the United Nations Convention on the Rights of a Child, 1989, Somalia and the United States.  We are one of less than a handful of nations around the world that have yet to declare the use of corporal punishment of children in schools as illegal (though statutes forbid corporal punishment to discipline military personnel, prisoners, etc.).   Florida should take a leadership role nationally in protecting its most vulnerable citizens, children, by passing legislation and establishing intervention services to protect children from physical, sexual and emotional/psychological abuse and thereby extend to them their constitutional right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

[Document prepared by graduate students in the Mental Health Counseling Program at Florida Atlantic University, August 2007]