Physical abuse is any intentional act causing
injury or
trauma to another person or
animal by way of bodily contact. In most cases, children are the victims of physical abuse, but adults can also be victims, as in cases of
domestic violence or
workplace aggression. Alternative terms sometimes used include
physical assault or
physical violence, and may also include
sexual abuse. Physical abuse may involve more than one abuser, and more than one victim.
A number of causes of
physical abuse against children have been identified, the most common of which, according to Mash and Wolfe, being:[3]
many abusive and neglectful parents have had little exposure to positive parental models and supports.[citation needed]
there is often a greater degree of stress in the family environment.[citation needed]
information-processing disturbances may cause maltreating parents to misperceive or mislabel their child's behavior, which leads to inappropriate responses.[citation needed]
there is often a lack of awareness or understanding of developmentally appropriate expectations.[citation needed]
Effects
Physically abused children are at risk for later interpersonal problems involving aggressive behavior, and adolescents are at a much greater risk for
substance use disorders. In addition, symptoms of depression, emotional distress, and
suicidal ideation are also common features of people who have been physically abused. Studies have also shown that children with a history of physical abuse may meet
DSM-IV-TR criteria for
post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).[3] As many as one-third of children who experience physical abuse are also at risk to become abusive as adults.[4]
Researchers have pointed to other potential psycho-biological effects of child physical abuse on parenting, when abused children become adults. These recent findings may, at least in part, be carried forward by epigenetic changes that impact the regulation of stress physiology.[5]
Treatment
Evidence-based interventions for physical abuse include
cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) as well as video-feedback interventions and child-parent
psychodynamic psychotherapy; all of which specifically target anger patterns and distorted beliefs, and offer training and/or reflection, support, and modelling that focuses on parenting skills and expectations, as well as increasing empathy for the child by supporting the parent's taking the child's perspective.[6][7][8]
These forms of treatment may include training in social competence and management of daily demands in an effort to decrease
parental stress, which is a known risk factor for physical abuse. Although these treatment and prevention strategies are to help children and parents of children who have been abused, some of these methods can also be applied to adults who have physically abused.[3]
Other animals
Physical abuse has also been observed among
Adélie penguins in Antarctica.[9]
^Kolko, D. J. (1996). "Individual cognitive-behavioral treatment and family therapy for physically abused children and their offending parents: A comparison of clinical outcomes". Child Maltreatment. 1 (4): 322–342.
doi:
10.1177/1077559596001004004.
S2CID144341829.
^Lieberman, A.F. (2007). "Ghosts and angels: Intergenerational patterns in the transmission and treatment of the traumatic sequelae of domestic violence". Infant Mental Health Journal. 28 (4): 422–439.
doi:
10.1002/imhj.20145.
PMID28640404.