1

Running head: THE HEALTH EFFECTS OF CHILD ABUSE

The Health Effects of Child Abuse

Alejandro Solis

The University of Texas at El Paso

 2
THE HEALTH EFFECTS OF CHILD ABUSE

Abstract

Child abuse is result of child maltreatment that can occur in a physical form or in the shape of

child neglect. Child abuse occurs among all cultures, races, and income groups. This paper,

however explores the topic of child abuse and the consequences it exhibits such as the

mental/psychological, emotional/behavioral, and physical/sexual effects. Through journal

articles, books, research, studies, and personal testimonies it has been seen that child abuse has

become an issue. This report discusses how a childs adverse experiences will affect them and

how adult survivors of childhood abuse carry these implications with them throughout their lives.

However, every child who has experienced child abuse will have their own response to the

situation. This paper uses four different types of sources such as research, social experiments,

personal testimonies, and secondary sources to explain the correlation between child abuse and

its short term and long term mental, emotional, and physical health effects.

Keywords: Physical, Emotional, Mental, Child abuse, Effects, Adult Survivors

 3
THE HEALTH EFFECTS OF CHILD ABUSE

Introduction

Child abuse and neglect have been on the rise for the past decade in the United States and

almost 700,000 children are abused annually (National Childrens Alliance, n.d.). Child abuse

and neglect have many negative consequences in terms of psychological, emotional, physical,

and sexual harm, effecting all age groups and genders. Many children are polyvictimized, in

which they suffer from more than one form of maltreatment whether it may be neglect, physical,

emotional, or mental abuse. The effects that come from child abuse can range from being short to

long-lasting. Adults who have survived childhood abuse also experience these consequences

until they receive help to overcome them. With the help of research, experiments, personal

testimonies, and secondary sources, this report will discuss the mental, emotional, and physical

consequences of child abuse and neglect.

Mental and Psychological Health Effects

Child abuse and neglect have many impacts on a child. According to John N. Biere and

Diana M. Elliot in their journal article, Immediate and Long-Term Impacts of Child Sexual Abuse

(2005), they present research of the problems and symptoms sexual abuse can have on a child.

This research demonstrated how psychological and inter-personal problems are more dominant in

children that have experienced childhood abuse than in those children who have had no such

experiences. Cognitive distortions such as self-blame, low self-esteem and hopelessness are

impacts that can later affect a childs mental state. Because of this, many childhood abuse survivors

have an impaired sense of self. The way a person begins to view themselves occurs in the early

stages of development; and as a result of maltreatment in their early lives, sexual abuse and neglect

may interfere with the development of their sense of self perception.

 4
THE HEALTH EFFECTS OF CHILD ABUSE

An investigation that was conducted for children of the ages six to thirteen, demonstrated

the correlation between maltreated children and their memory processes, cortisol levels, and

memory dissociation. According to Chichetti, Howe, Rogosch, and Toth, who wrote the journal

article, The Effects of Maltreatment and Neuroendocrine Regulation on Memory Performance,

this examination concluded that children who have experienced neglect, physical, or emotional

abuse, had heightened false memory recognition, were at risk of PTSD, and showed memory

dissociation. Children, who have been abused, were more likely to defensively distort or

dissociate their memories (2010).

Fire Brown (2016), an adult survivor of child abuse presented a personal testimony

during a TED Talk of how she faced childhood abuse and the long-term effects that followed

her. Brown explained how she suffered from PTSD, traumatic impact, and her experiences of

flashbacks and dreams of being sexually abused as a child. However, Brown goes on to explain

her road to recovery with the help of therapy and support groups for adult survivors of childhood

abuse. Through research, studies, and personal testimonies it can be seen that there are many

mental and psychological effects that a child or an adult survivor may encounter throughout their

life.

Emotional and Behavioral Health Effects

Child maltreatment has potential short term and long-term effects in terms of emotional

and behavioral health. Children who have been abused or neglected may exhibit behavioral

problems that are aggressive or self-destructing. These emotional and behavioral effects are the

cause of avoidance, suicidal thoughts and attempts, substance abuse and addiction, self-

mutilation, and indiscriminate sexual behavior. Other effects include; eating disorders, sleeping
 5
THE HEALTH EFFECTS OF CHILD ABUSE

troubles, anti-sociality, and criminal activity (Briggs, Thompson, Ostrowski, & Lekwauwa,

2011). Through research, clinicians have also noted signs of emotional distress in these children

in terms of depression, anxiety, and anger.

As presented by Figure 1 below, child abuse and its effects can lead to a shorter life due

to threatening consequences. According to the adverse childhood experiences pyramid below,

from when a child is born to when they begin being maltreated and abused, it is possible for the

child to experience social, emotional, and cognitive impairment, adopt high-risk behaviors, and

develop social problems. These high-risk behaviors that come as a result of child abuse, can in

turn become life threatening consequences.

Figure 1. (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2017)

Physical and Sexual Health Effects

Child abuse also has the consequences of affecting a childs physical and sexual health.

The physical and sexual effects of child abuse and neglect include bruises, cuts, burn marks,

difficulties walking and sitting, sexual transmitted diseases, poor physical health, etc. (Joyful

Heart Foundation, 2017). Other examples of physical effects of child abuse are included in

CNNs newsworthy article that covers the long-term effects of how child abuse can lead to the
 6
THE HEALTH EFFECTS OF CHILD ABUSE

separation of the child and parent, causing the child to enter the foster care system, and the

effects they face after being aged out at the age 18 with no preparation to enter the real world.

Figure 2, which can seen below, provides the statistics of the children who were aged out of

foster care and the effects they encountered. CNN provided statistics from 2012 of the amount of

people that became homeless after the age of 18, the number of adults that were employed at the

age of 24, percentage of those that received a college degree, and those young women that

became pregnant by the age of 21 (2014). The adults that were a part of these statistics were

those children who were neglected or abused by their parents, both physically and or sexually.

Figure 2. (Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, 2012)

Sebastian Bortnik (2005), a speaker at a TED Talk performance and cyber security

expert, discussed the effects of online grooming which is the act of sexual predation of children

over the internet. Bortnik explained that online predation, although seen by many as only virtual

reality, has many risk-factors that can lead to many health and life-threatening consequences.

During his presentation he spoke about the risks children face online today and explains the

consequences that he has witnessed of young girls being sexually abused, embarrassed online,

and even murdered. In his TED Talk he provides his experiences as a cyber security expert and

as an advocate against child abuse to show parents, guardians, and anyone wanting to get
 7
THE HEALTH EFFECTS OF CHILD ABUSE

involved that sexual predation, which can lead to abuse, may appear in many forms while also

providing steps to help keep their children stay safe.

Conclusion

Child abuse is an issue in the United States and worldwide. Victims of child abuse

experience psychological, emotional/behavioral, and physical/sexual impacts during and even

after their experiences. It can be seen through research, experiments, personal experiences, and

from other secondary sources that child abuse has many effects on a child and even on adult

survivors of childhood abuse. Even though these effects may be easy to recognize at times, most

victims are not open about their experiences. Many children and adult survivors do not seek help,

however, there are methods to cope with the long-lasting effects through support groups, therapy,

and counseling.
 8
THE HEALTH EFFECTS OF CHILD ABUSE

References

Bortnik, S. (2016, October 01). Retrieved October 20, 2017, from

https://www.ted.com/talks/sebastian_bortnik_the_conversation_we_re_not_having_about

_digital_child_abuse#t-318241

Briere, J., & Elliott, D. (1994). Immediate and long-term impacts of child sexual abuse. The

future of children, 4(2), 54-69. doi:10.2307/1602523

Briggs, E. C., Thompson, R., Ostrowski, S., & Lekwauwa, R. (2011). Psychological, health,

behavioral, and economic impact of child maltreatment. In J. W. White, M. P. Koss, A.

E. Kazdin, J.W. White, M. P. Koss, A. E. Kazdin (Eds.), Violence against women and

children, Vol 1: Mapping the terrain (pp.77-97). Washington, DC, US: American

psychological association. doi:10.1037/12307-004

Brown, F. (2016, May 21). Retrieved October 20, 201, from

https://www/youtube/.com/watch?v=5viOYkM4CRE

Cicchetti, D., Howe, M., Rogosch, F., & Toth, S. (2010). The effects of maltreatment and

neuroendocrine regulation on memory performance. child development, 81(5), 1504-

1519. Retrieved from http://0-www.jstor.org.lib.utep.edu/stable/40800688

Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption (2012). The long term effects of abused children aging

out foster care. [image] Available at: https://dciw4f53l7k9i.cloudfront.net/wp-

content/uploads/2014/04/CNN-INFOGRAPHIC.jpeg [Accessed 5 Nov. 2017].

 9
THE HEALTH EFFECTS OF CHILD ABUSE

Effects of child abuse and neglect. (n.d.). Retrieved November 05, 2017, from

http://www.joyfulheartfoundation.org/learn/child-abuse-neglect/effects-child-abuse-

neglect

National Statistics on Child Abuse. (n.d.). Retrieved November 12, 2017, from http

http://www.nationalchildrensalliance.org/media-room/media-kit/national-statistics-child-

abuse

Soronen R. (2014, April 17). Opinion: We abandon thousands of foster case children a year.

Retrieved October 20, 2017, from https://www.cnn.com/2014/04/16/opinion/soronen-

foster-children/index.html

Substance abuse and mental health services administration (2017). Adverse childhood

experiences pyramid. [image] Available at:

https://www.samhsa.gov/capt/sites/default/files/images/adverse-childhood-experiences-

pyramid-Ig.jpg [Accessed 4 Nov. 2017].