Childhood abuse as a result of physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, or abuse from parental neglect may have serious long-term effects. In addition to any obvious physical injuries, some injuries are less readily apparent, such as the long-term psychological injuries abused children may carry into adulthood. These psychological injuries may even affect generations to come.
However, children suffering the same degrees and types of abuse seem to adapt to the abuse differently. In other words, children who have been victimized by abuse do not all grow into dysfunctional adults. Some children carry their scars into adulthood and have been less able to adapt to their childhood injuries.
Children who have suffered similar degrees of abuse do not always suffer from the same severity or types of psychological long-term damage. Researchers, interested in the factors leading up to the psychological consequences, have studied the correlation between them. Why do some adults suffer from more severe psychological problems when these adults were abused in similar degrees as children?
Factors, Considerations, and Degree of Harm
The government released findings from a comprehensive study conducted in 2008 by the Children’s Bureau, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Studies. This study showed that several identifiable factors may explain the differences in the long-term outcomes of child abuse victims. Factors include type of abuse inflicted (neglect, sexual, physical, emotional); the frequency and duration of the abuse; the child’s age when abused; the relationship between the abused and abuser; and the degree of the abuse.
Researchers concluded that “resilience” seemed to be the key factor that determined the long-term outcome of child abuse. (Long Term Consequences of Child Abuse and Neglect,) U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2008). Child Maltreatment
Factors Determining Resilience
Resilience is determined by several different factors, including self-esteem, autonomy, optimism, and the availability of other role models. Resilience is the ability that allows people to recover from any external disturbances, including abuse. Resilience is the ability to adapt to negative traumas that children may experience, and their capacity to live with it as adults.
Researchers have made some connective links between resilience and adaptation through other healthy support systems. In other words, children who have access to a network of non-abuse adult family members and close friends seem to learn methods to adapt to the abuse in healthy ways. Children without adult support systems tend to fare worse in the resiliency spectrum.
Important of Child’s Access to a Healthy Support System
Researchers have determined that a child’s ability to maintain resilience may be affected by the amount of support available to the abused child outside of the abusive family relationship. The support system may deliver love, developmental support, and enable the child to develop a trust of others. The support system may help the child to develop a positive self-image and cope with abuse. Helping abused children find these support structures is important to long-term psychological well-being as adults.
Yongjin Kang - Yongjin graduated from Virginia Polytechnic and State University, Magna Cum Laude, with a Bachelor's Degree in psychology and history. She ...
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