EMOTIONAL ABUSE
Scenario 5 Rick, an oncology social worker, is employed at a large community hospital in western New York State. He is highly respected by his colleagues and is known for providing excellent patient care. Rick is a self-described perfectionist. His grade point average throughout his college career was 4.0. He is also a competitive athlete and participates in marathons for charity. Rick has an athletic physique and is known for his polished, trend-setting style. One afternoon, Rick stops by the hospital’s pediatric practice on his way to an important meeting. He is accompanied by his 10-year- old son, Mark, who is complaining of a sore throat. Rick seems to go out of his way to embarrass his son, making such comments as “He’s like a little girl complaining of a little sore throat” in front of the staff. As the clinical social worker asks Mark questions, trying to engage him, Rick keeps interrupting, saying, “Oh, don’t ask him anything. He likes to be the center of attention. That’s why I’m here when I should be at that council meeting.” The social worker encourages Rick to attend his meeting while she stays with Mark. Rick is reluctant to leave, but eventually does so with a parting remark: “Don’t cause any trouble and don’t waste everyone’s time trying to talk about yourself. Nobody’s interested in what you have to say. Toughen up and try to act like a man.” After Rick leaves, the social worker notices that Mark seems relieved, but tearful. Mark whispers, “I have to be careful what I say. Dad says I should just keep quiet because I make a fool of myself every time I open my mouth.” The social worker is uneasy and wonders if Mark is a victim of emotional abuse.
● Humiliate the child in front of others. ● Blame the child without cause. ● Blame the child for whatever goes wrong. ● Fail to show interest in the child’s activities, thoughts, or feelings. ● Withhold affection as a form of punishment. ● Isolate the child from others. The signs and symptoms of emotional abuse can be hard to recognize. However, if a child exhibits the following signs and symptoms on a regular basis, emotional abuse should be suspected (Prevent Child Abuse America, n.d.): ● Low self-esteem. ● Excessive feelings of shame or guilt. ● Regression to earlier developmental level. ● Depression. ● Suicidal thoughts or behaviors. ● Extremes in behavior (overly aggressive or fearful and withdrawn). ● Destructive behaviors toward self or others. ● Emotional development delays. ● Sleep disorders. ● Phobias.
Prevent Child Abuse New York (n.d.) defines emotional abuse as “parents’ or caretakers’ acts of omissions that cause or could cause serious conduct, cognitive, affective, or other mental disorder such as torture, close confinement, or the constant use of verbally abusive language.” Emotional abuse, sometimes referred to as psychological abuse, also includes such actions as withholding love, support, or guidance; threatening; terrorizing; belittling; or constantly criticizing a child. Emotional abuse can be difficult to detect. The occasional harsh comment does not necessarily mean that such behavior is ongoing. A parent or another caregiver may be guilty of emotional abuse if, on a routine basis, they continue these actions (Prevent Child Abuse America, n.d.): ● Ridicule the child. ● Mock the child’s appearance, ideas, fears, or accomplishments. ● Terrorize the child by constantly shouting, threatening, or exposing the child to domestic violence. ● Deny affection or obviously favor a sibling or other child in the house.
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