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Abstract
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This discussion reviews the literature concerning the association between the maltreatment, abuse and exploitation of adolescents and the predisposition to violent and other offending behavior. We review the importance and family dynamics of abuse which bear a relationship to antisocial behavior. The distinction is made between child abuse and adolescent abuse, and controversies regarding the sequelae of various maltreatments are discussed. Recent work in sexual abuse and its relationship to male sexual offenders and male prostitutes is detailed. Adolescents who commit various offenses or are in contact with juvenile justice system may be or have been the victims of various forms of maltreatment and exploitation. Helping professionals caring for these youths should have an understanding of these factors and the underlying dynamics.
VioLit summary:
OBJECTIVE:
The aim of this paper by Paperny and Deisher was to conduct a review of the literature on the relationship between the maltreatment of adolescents and their predisposition toward violence and delinquency.
METHODOLOGY:
The authors employed a non-experimental exploratory design to review the literature on the association between abuse and exploitation of youth and a predisposition to criminal offending.
FINDINGS/DISCUSSION:
Incidence studies from the late 1970s found that over one-quarter of abuse and neglect cases involved adolescent victims, with one-third of the reports being of abuse and two-thirds of neglect. Adolescent abuse, as defined separately form child abuse, includes three types of events: child abuse continuing into adolescence, physical discipline that increases to the point of abuse during adolescence, and physical abuse that begins in the adolescent years. Studies have found that most cases of adolescent abuse fall into the third category, with abuse starting in adolescence, as youth undertake the developmental tasks of separation and control. The conflict that might arise out of these changes in family dynamics, combined with other familial and socio-economic stresses, could predispose families to behavioral problems and subsequent abuse. Many of these young victims run away from their guardians in order to avoid continued abuse, of either a physical, sexual or an emotional nature. The association between delinquency and abuse has been much studied over the past five decades. Delinquent adolescents have been found to have unkind parents, who are inconsistent with discipline and who employ physical punishment rather than reasoning and discussion. A 1970 study found that 82% of adolescents in the study had been neglected or abused, with 43% having been knocked unconscious by their parents. The imitation of violence in the family, as well as the rebellious tendencies that often occur in adolescence, can combine to lead to delinquency and aggressive behavior. Despite the prevalence of violent backgrounds in runaways and adolescent offenders, the legal system's concern with outcome delinquent behaviors results in abuse and neglect often being overlooked. These juvenile offenders often lack interpersonal and coping skills, with delinquency becoming a method for coping with family and other stresses. This coping mechanism often takes the form of the individual identifying with parents' aggression and violence, and modelling behavior after these patterns. Research on this phenomenon of modelling has shown that violence breeds violence, and that certain types of violence run in families. The experience of violence in childhood predisposes adolescents to consider aggression to be an acceptable means for solving problems, to be void of empathy for others, and to be unable to cope with stress in a non-violent fashion. In the place of aggression and delinquent behavior, abused individuals might become withdrawn and exhibit low self-esteem. Studies have suggested that the older the victim of abuse, the less likely aggressive behavior will be displayed; although other research has found no correlation between abuse and delinquency. However, much of this research did not differentiate between child and adolescent abuse, and did not control for gender of the subject. Some studies of adolescent sexual offenders have shown no relationship between abuse and sexual offenses, whilst others have found that juvenile sexual offenders were likely to have been physically or sexually abused as children. However, these studies have not examined the role of modeling and family continuation of sexual abuse to determine if the 'violence breeds violence' hypothesis holds for sexual violence as well as for physical abuse. They have also not differentiated between incest and other forms of sexual abuse, or between abuse of males and of females. Consequences of sexual abuse were primarily psychosocial in nature, with externalized behavioral responses including running away, delinquency and prostitution. Studies conducted with samples of prostitutes found that more than one-quarter had been physically abused by parents or others and almost half had been sexually abused. The authors concluded that, despite many conflicting findings in existing research, there is a clear relationship between maltreatment and abuse of adolescents and violence or other delinquent behaviors.
AUTHORS' RECOMMENDATIONS:
The authors suggested that professionals who come into contact with adolescents within the juvenile justice system should evaluate each person's history of abuse, and the underlying dynamics of such abuse. Further research should be conducted to examine the etiologies and the consequences of childhood and adolescent abuse, as well as to provide intervention approaches to help prevent further abuse and problem behavior.
EVALUATION:
The authors present an interesting review of the literature on the relationship between adolescent abuse and delinquent behavior. However, the review provides only a very brief examination of some of the issues surrounding the consequences of abuse, and does not clearly summarize the findings of research in the various areas of study. A more thorough, detailed discussion of previous research would have been helpful, and a more thoughtful discussion of needs for future research would also have been valuable. (CSPV Abstract - Copyright © 1992-2007 by the Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence, Institute of Behavioral Science, Regents of the University of Colorado)
KW - Literature Review
KW - Juvenile Offender
KW - Juvenile Victim
KW - Juvenile Violence
KW - Psychological Victimization Effects
KW - Violence Causes
KW - Juvenile Delinquency
KW - Delinquency Causes
KW - Domestic Violence Victim
KW - Domestic Violence Effects
KW - Child Abuse Victim
KW - Child Abuse Effects
KW - Child Physical Abuse Effects
KW - Child Physical Abuse Victim
KW - Child Abuse-Delinquency Link
KW - Child Abuse-Violence Link
KW - Child Victim
KW - Childhood Experience
KW - Childhood Victimization
KW - Victim Turned Offender
KW - Juvenile Crime
KW - Crime Causes
Language: en |