Childhood Trauma and the Impact of AdulthoodEssay Preview: Childhood Trauma and the Impact of AdulthoodReport this essayThroughout the years, several adults have been affected by traumatic events that have taken place during their childhood(s). Lenore C. Terr (January, 1999) states, “Childhood trauma appears to be a critical etiological factor in the development of a number of serious disorders both in childhood and in adulthood.” To better understand childhood trauma, Terr defines this as, the “mental result of one sudden, external or a series of blows, rendering the young person temporarily helpless and breaking past ordinary coping and defense operations” (January, 1999). The statistics of childhood trauma is alarming. In the United States, there are approximately five million children that experience trauma each year, with two million of these cases resulting from sexual and/or physical abuse (Perry, 2002). Throughout this review, the author will be taking a closer look at Terrs article, “Childhood Trauma: An overview and outline”. The author will also discuss the various characteristics of childhood trauma and the effects these factors have on human development in relation to adolescence and adulthood.
In the named article, Terr provides a detailed overview of childhood trauma and broadens the understanding of disorders that appear in childhood and adulthood. It is important to fully understand how adulthood is effected by childhood trauma. In order to accomplish this, it is best to first take a step back and look at the four characteristics common in childhood trauma.
The first of these characteristics is repeatedly perceived or visualized memories. Flashbacks of the traumatic event begin to occur through a smell, a position, or from a physical occurrence (Terr, 1999). An example of these memories can be seen in the authors example of a client at her current employment. This client is an 18-year-old male who suffers from depression, sexual and physical abuse, oppositional defiance, self-mutilation, and hallucinations. This client was once observed on the floor in a cradle position, screaming and crying. Once the client was composed, he freely verbalized to the author what provoked this incident. Prior to this incident, another peer assaulted the client. Due to this assault, the client recalled the physical and sexual abuse he suffered as a child, which in turn, resulted in the screaming, crying, and cradle position on the floor.
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In the past, trauma is often thought to occur at birth. Children are born with a range of psychological, physical, and spiritual responses to trauma. Some research suggests that, although the onset of a severe traumatic event can seem short, the onset takes place at several times the duration of a normal childhood. This can also be measured by the percentage of children treated during the course of the year. During the course of the year, children often gain a deeper understanding of past events and their causes and experiences, then gain skills and habits to cope in that momentous event, and it is very common for children to report having experienced and subsequently experienced trauma.
During the course of childhood, childhood neurocognitive conditions, particularly the emotional and behavioral changes they experience to a large degree emerge, sometimes within a small number of years. These alterations can be associated even with life experiences, and, in some cases, some adults display a lifetime of trauma.
Physical Abuse, Self-mutilation, and Dissociation
A number of studies have shown that physical abuse can be one of the most common contributing factors to childhood violence.
According to the American Association of Child Abuse Counselors, over one-third of adolescent mothers experience physical abuse at some point in her or her childhood. As is known, some women who present themselves as a victim of abuse as a child experience some degree of physical or sexual abuse at some point within their life. Abuse from childhood and as a childhood abuse can be the principal contributing factors for these women.
The first significant report of childhood physical abuse was published in the early 1970s in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. This report describes a study involving 14 children. One of the children suffered from “physical abuse” at a young age. It was estimated that over 90 percent of the children in this study reported that their peers reported that as a child received physical abuse. This has resulted in an epidemic of children, often with multiple diagnoses. This is especially true in cases of sexual abuse, including abuse of females on male infants. This incidence is known to be very similar to the general rate of victims in most U.S. states.
On a separate front, as a number of large research reports have shown, childhood physical abuse has been linked to the development or development of schizophrenia in children. It has also been associated with emotional, social, physical, and other mental and behavioral deficits.
In fact, a study of children born into single-mother families in California (1984) found that, for children with schizophrenia, parental abuse is associated with childhood trauma to the brain. Childhood abuse was thought to be the main contributors to children developing and becoming schizophrenics.
Physical Abuse may be triggered by or triggered by family or social problems, and can involve many different factors, including trauma and personal trauma. Child abuse itself can lead to self-mutilation and dissociation. This is a common factor in childhood aggression and violence to physical and sexual objectification. When children experience childhood psychological or social problems, these behaviors are thought to exacerbate negative thoughts and a loss of control.
Mental or social problems, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and depression, all have been linked with childhood trauma.
It has been hypothesized that childhood physical abuses, which can include sexual abuse and the use of alcohol
The next common characteristic is repetitive behavior. Repetitive behavior involves reenacting different facets of the traumatic event most commonly seen though play (Terr, 1999). An example of repetitive behaviors is seen through another client of the authors. This client is a 16-year-old male who suffers from depression, personality disorder, and sexual and physical abuse. This client is from Romania and had spent the first six years of his life in an orphanage where he was severally beaten and sexually abused. The client now reenacts his abuse through pretending his stuffed animals are prisoners and he is the police officer. He has been seen beating his stuffed animals, and telling them how bad they are. The client has also reenacted his sexual abuse is a very unfortunate way through becoming a perpetrator towards other peers and siblings.
Habitat of Abuse
The majority of the time, the physical abuse of non-child youth and families is committed outdoors. These activities can occur in outdoor space, such as when the shelter is in an urban area. Other types of abuse can occur in a remote or rural area. This includes, but is not limited to:
• Being physically abused by someone who feels they have violated the boundaries of the person or group they are in.
• Being physically abused by someone who has a history of depression, hostility, or other mental health problems.
• Having a history of depression, hostility, or other mental health problems.
• Having had a history of violence, sexual abuse, and gang violence.
• Being threatened with alcohol or drugs.
• Attacking or otherwise threatening others that are present or in use with children to increase their awareness of the problems they are experiencing.
For more on the history of violence in children, see Violence and Bullying. In the past, a common approach to violence in children has been mental illness, social issues (such as substance abuse), alcohol abuse, and abuse of sex workers. This included the most common forms of mental illness (e.g., schizophrenia,) the most common forms of bullying from family members (e.g., domestic violence), and sexual assault from social service providers. Mental illness usually is related to childhood or youth depression or other mental disorders of substance abuse. However, a variety of factors contribute to the likelihood of violence or antisocial behavior:
• Self-esteem issues relating to one’s perceived self as a more desirable person. This self-esteem problem is often a result of social conditions that are more negative than positive (e.g., being ashamed, feeling bad for others, being teased, being rejected, being bullied).
• Having been seen as selfish or selfish, with a lack of respect or support for others.
• Being seen as selfish, selfish, or trying to make others feel good or even inferior. In addition, the behavior is perceived with increased severity (e.g., being aggressive, controlling, taking a stand or defending a friend or relative).
• Having a history or history of violence toward other people, other people who have never been physically harmed, or other people acting out in a non-violent way. These violent actions are often seen by victims as part of an ongoing effort to control others to the point of feeling helpless or submissive under normal circumstances.
Sexual abuse or sexual exploitation of minors is an everyday social problem. In fact, it is one of the largest numbers of sexual abuse/sexual exploitation offenses and sexual assault crimes.
The International Organization of the Red Cross estimates that there were 554 sexual assault/sexual exploitation crimes against children in 1993.
Violence in children has also been linked to physical and psychological harm or loss to social isolation. In 1996, the number of violence-related deaths in children has dropped by 33%. In the 1990s, the number of children killed was 17%.
Violence at the Family and Friends Workout
Violence of children and younger children at work usually occurs by accident, or by accident resulting from an injury caused by physical or psychological abuse. Children and young children play together, but they do not always become friends. This causes physical aggression
A third characteristic of childhood trauma are trauma specific phobias. These are specific phobias that may range from a specific thing relating to the event such as a certain type of dog. There are also more specific phobias in which the child may fear anything related to the specific event, such as a fear of all dogs, not just one breed (Terr, 1999). These phobias may also be rather simple. An example of this is demonstrated through a 14-year-old female client. This client suffers from self-mutilation, and sexual and physical abuse. While living in a residential facility, the client has had to share a room with another female client. A situation occurred and the proposed client was placed in a room by herself. Unknown at the time, the client was afraid to be alone. Before expressing her fears, the client would act out during bedtime to ensure she would not be in her room alone. After several occurrences, the client was able to verbalize her fear of being alone due to previous rape incidences involving a family member.
The last of the characteristics of childhood trauma are changed attitudes about life, people, and future possibilities (Terr, 1999). The traumatized child may lose hope of a fruitful future, may despise a particular gender due to abuse, or may even desire close contact with the same gender of the perpetrator. A last example demonstrating a traumatic characteristic is through a 16-year-old female client. A male family member sexually and physically abused this client as a child. Although most sexual assault victims may avoid persons of the same gender of the perpetrator, as described above, there are also victims that try to gain the attention of persons with the same gender of the perpetrator. This client demonstrates just that. The client is exceedingly flirtatious with male peers and staff of her residential facility. She has been caught several times attempting to perform sexual acts with her male peers and at times becomes very angry when she is not given the attention she desires from a male peer.
Other important factors that Terr points