¶ … Family Abuse on Children
The widespread prevalence of family abuse has been increasingly the focus of media, societal, and scholarly attention. This research paper examines the effects of various forms of family abuse on the psychological development of children, and its long-term consequences for adult functioning. The scope of the paper includes research on the causes of family abuse and a discussion on the need for social interventions to minimize the effects of abuse on children.
The well-rounded development of children is a matter of great societal concern since they constitute the citizens of the future. As such, society has a definite stake in ensuring that its children are nurtured well today, in order that they function as responsible adult members of society tomorrow. This is a well-recognized fact as evidenced by governmental, societal, and legal interventions in providing for the development of children through free education, child care subsidies, and the foster care system. However, as a wide body of research literature indicates, there is little that has been achieved in the area of protecting children from the often devastating consequences of abusive family situations. Whereas this is an area that calls for serious social intervention given alarming statistical evidence that the American family represents an estimated 20% chance of becoming a stage for violence (Witt, 1987, p. 293). It is the purpose of this paper to establish the need for concerted social intervention in protecting children from family abuse. To do so, the paper will research the effects of an abusive family environment on the psychological development of children, and its subsequent impact on the child's ability to function as a responsible adult member of society. Further, given the penultimate objective, the paper will also summarize research findings on the causes of family abuse and possible methods of social intervention. To start with, however, it would be important to establish the critical role family plays in the development of children.
The Importance of The Family as a Social Group
It is common knowledge that the family unit plays an important role in the nurturing and development of children, especially in the early formative years when a child's level of dependence on adults is high. Indeed, while social forces such as religion, education, media, and peer groups can exercise a moderating influence on an individual's psychological and cognitive development, the fact remains that the family unit plays the primary role. As Witt (1987, p. 291) observes, "Ideally, we define the family as the social group to nurture us, instruct us in social and moral values, and protect us from harm. This is the case in virtually every postindustrial society where people...tend to depend emotionally on their immediate family." Logically, therefore, when a family unit fails or falls short of fulfilling its parental and social responsibility in nurturing its children; it often results in adversely affecting a child's immediate and long-term psychological well-being. This is particularly true of children who experience or witness various forms of abuse within the family environment.
Historically, society has always projected the family as an ideal unit of caring interdependence, which brings up children to be responsible adult citizens. To that extent, one would expect families to try and live up to that ideal. Yet, increasingly there are widespread media reports of family abuse. Thus, there seems to be a gap between projected social norms and reality. To explain this apparent dichotomy between social ideals and the prevalence of family abuse, perhaps it would be important to place in context the external influence of the larger social environment on the individual family unit.
Sociocultural Factors That Impact Family Behavior
The fields of psychology, social psychology, and sociology offer several theories that attempt to explain the phenomenon of family violence. David Witt, in his article "A Conflict Theory of Family Violence," (1987, p. 291-300) integrates three such main theories, to suggest that there is a basic conflict between social and cultural norms and the prevention of family violence. Witt points out that firstly, the family is subject to cultural norms, which often suggest various forms of violence as necessary, correct, and good for family members. Common examples are constant reminders of shortcomings, blame for material inadequacies, and failure to be supportive. Such verbally abusive behavior results in creating feelings of shame, guilt, and inadequacy in individual family members, especially vulnerable children. Secondly, the norms of such a broader culture are repeatedly transmitted through a social learning process, largely within the family. Thirdly, family violence is...
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