Psychological Maltreatment

Test Items

1. A mother tells her son he is no good, lazy bum and she wishes he were never born. This mother is guilty of a. Psychological neglect b. Psychological abuse c. Physical neglect d. Physical abuse

Answer: B

2. A mother did not want to have a third child. When the baby is born, she feeds her and changes her as needed, but she does not give her any additional attention. This mother is guilty of a. Psychological neglect b. Psychological abuse c. Physical neglect d. Physical abuse

Answer: A a. Psychological maltreatment is not mentioned by most states. b. Psychological maltreatment is addressed by all 50 states c. Psychological abuse is more clearly addressed than is psychological neglect. d. Psychological neglect is more clearly addressed than is psychological abuse.

3. With regard to state statutes, which of the following statements is true?

Answer: C a. DSM-II b. DSM-III c. DSM-IV d. DSM-V

4. Which edition of the DSM first included psychological maltreatment?

Answer: D a. Spurning b. Terrorizing c. Isolating d. Exploiting/Corrupting e. Denying Emotional Responsiveness

5. A father continually belittles his son; calling him names and shaming him. Which subtype of psychological maltreatment is this?

Answer: A a. Spurning b. Terrorizing c. Isolating d. Exploiting/Corrupting e. Denying Emotional Responsiveness

6. Recently a father posted video of his 18 month old son smoking a joint on youtube. This could certainly be considered physically abusive. In addition, what subtype of psychological maltreatment would be an appropriate label?

Answer: D a. Spurning b. Terrorizing c. Isolating d. Exploiting/Corrupting e. Denying Emotional Responsiveness

7. A father tells his son that if he does not earn straight As on his report card, he will kill his dog. This represents which subtype of psychological maltreatment?

Answer: B a. Spurning b. Terrorizing c. Isolating d. Exploiting/Corrupting e. Denying Emotional Responsiveness

8. Because Bob fell in with a bad crowd when he was young, he does not let his son, Eric, interact with other children. He homeschools Eric and does not let him out of the house unsupervised even though Eric is 15 years old. This represents which subtype of psychological maltreatment?

Answer: C

9. According to Hamarman and Bernet, if there is no intent to harm and the child is not harmed by a psychologically abusive behavior than a. there is no maltreatment b. the maltreatment is mild c. the maltreatment is moderate d. the maltreatment is severe

Answer: B a. 100% b. Approximately 90% c. Approximately 80% d. Approximately 45%

10. According to research, among families who were guilty of physical abuse, what percentage were also guilty of psychological maltreatment?

Answer: B a. 100% b. 68-80% c. 18-45% d. 6-11%

11. According to research, among families who were guilty of psychological maltreatment, what percentage were also guilty of physical abuse?

Answer: C

12. According to Hamarman and Bernet, moderate psychological maltreatment means that a. there was both intent to harm and harm b. there was either intent to harm or harm, but not both c. there was neither intent to harm nor harm

Answer: B a. 1 per 1,000 b. 2 per 1,000 c. 3 per 1,000 d. 4 per 1,000

13. According to the NIS-IV Harm Standard, how many children were harmed by psychological abuse in 2005-2006?

Answer: B a. 1 per 1,000 b. 1.6 per 1,000 c. 2 per 1,000 d. 2.6 per 1,000

14. According to the NIS-IV Harm Standard, how many children were harmed by psychological neglect in 2005-2006?

Answer: D a. 1.0 per 1,000 b. 2.3 per 1,000 c. 4.1 per 1,000 d. 5.6 per 1,000

15. According to the NIS-IV Endangerment Standard, how many children were endangered by psychological abuse in 2005-2006?

Answer: C a. 5.0 per 1,000 b. 7.5 per 1,000 c. 10.2 per 1,000 d. 15.9 per 1,000

16. According to the NIS-IV Endangerment Standard, how many children were endangered by psychological neglect in 2005-2006?

Answer: D a. Most states report no cases of psychological maltreatment b. There is remarkable consistency across states in terms of the incidence of psychological maltreatment c. The rates of reported psychological maltreatment vary widely among the states

17. Which of the following is true about the NCANDS data on the incidence of psychological maltreatment?

Answer: C

18. When comparing the rates of psychological maltreatment according to retrospective data and according to the NIS-IV a. the rates are nearly identical b. the NIS rates are significantly higher c. the rates from retrospective studies are much higher

Answer: C a. Maslow – Human Needs Theory b. Erikson – Psychosocial Theory c. Attachment Theory

19. Which theory would state that a child’s basic needs and psychological needs must be met before they can reach their full potential?

Answer: A a. Maslow’s b. Erikson’s c. Bowlby’s d. Freud’s

20. Whose theory says that as children age they face a series of psychosocial crises that shape their development?

Answer: B

21. According the study by Haferkemp et al. (2015), the trauma symptom of dissociation is seen a. Only in victims of physical abuse b. Seen more commonly in victims of emotional abuse than in other maltreatment victims c. Seen equally frequently across all types of maltreatment d. Almost never seen in cases were death was not a realistic fear

Answer: B

22. Victims of psychological maltreatment are at an increased risk for anxiety and depression a. Only during childhood b. During childhood and persisting into adulthood c. Only in adulthood d. None of the above

Answer: B a. Emotional abuse b. Emotional neglect c. Both emotional abuse and neglect d. Neither emotional abuse nor emotional neglect

23. According to the study by Cohen et al. (2019), which type of maltreatment was associated with an increase in anhedonia?

Answer: B

24. According to Rorty et al. (1994) the most common type of maltreatment history among women suffering from Bulimia was a. Sexual b. Physical c. Psychological d. Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy

Answer: C

25. According to the research reviewed by Maguire et al. (2015), learning problems in victims of children who have been emotionally abused may be related to elevated symptoms of a. Schizophrenia b. Depression c. Conduct Disorder d. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Answer: D

True/False

1. The United States has a uniform definition of psychological maltreatment that holds across all states and U.S. territories.

Answer: False

2. Reading the state statutes on child maltreatment make it clear what constitutes psychological maltreatment.

Answer: False

3. Psychological maltreatment can have a negative impact on a child’s physical health.

Answer: True

4. A history of psychological maltreatment increases the likelihood that a child will engage in non-suicidal self-injurious behaviors.

Answer: True

5. Unlike other forms of maltreatment, psychological abuse is not associated with an increased risk for substance use during adolescence/young adulthood.

Answer: False

Matching

Which subtype of psychological maltreatment is most evident in the following scenarios?

A. Spurning

B. Terrorizing

C. Isolating

D. Exploiting/Corrupting

E. Denying Emotional Responsiveness

F. Mental Health, Medical, and Educational Neglect

1. Ms. Jenkins is extremely worried about Bobby getting hurt. Even though he is almost 8 years old, she does not like him to be out of her sight. She does not allow him to play unsupervised in the yard or even in his room.

2. One neighbor overheard another telling her son, “I wish you were never born. You can’t do anything right. You are so stupid!”

3. Mr. James realizes that it is easier for children to pick pockets than it is for adults – they are smaller and less likely to arouse suspicion. So, Mr. James teaches his young son to pick pockets at a busy mall.

4. Even though Ms. Smith knows her friend deals drugs and hangs out with a violent gang, she lets her daughter with this friend so she can go to a party.

Answer: 1 – C; 2 – A, 3 – D, 4 - B

Short Answer Questions

1. Compare and contrast the terms psychological and emotional. Answer: Emotional means feelings and emotional development entails learning to interpret and express emotions. Psychological means pertaining to the mind. It includes emotional responses, but also refers to other cognitive processes.

2. Provide two reasons that Hamarman and Bernet (2000) give to argue that psychological maltreatment should be defined in terms of parental behavior rather than child outcome?

Answer:

1. It would allow for intervention before harm occurred

2. It is difficult to determine that any child outcome is due to one specific antecedent

3. According to McGee and Wolfe, fill out the chart below with the following terms: physical abuse; psychological abuse, type of abuse depends on act (you may use the terms more than once)

Parental Act

Physical

Child Outcome

Psychological

Physical

Non-Physical

Answer:

Physical

Parental Act

Non-Physical

Physical

Child Outcome

Physical Abuse

Psychological Type of Abuse

Psychological Abuse

Psychological depends on act Abuse

4. Do you prefer the APSAC’s or Glaser’s definition of psychological maltreatment?

Answer: There is no one correct answer. As long as the student’s answer reflects an accurate understanding of the theories, it would be correct.

5. Explain the negative consequences of psychological maltreatment in terms of Maslow’s theory.

Answer: Maslow argued that until our lower level needs are met, we cannot reach what we all strive to achieve – self-actualization. Psychological maltreatment interferes with needs of belonging, love and esteem. Therefore, it blocks development at a low level.

6. What did Okado and Azar (2011) discover about the relationship between inappropriate emotional relationships with mothers and subsequent risk for child maltreatment?

Answer: They found that participants who had experienced inappropriate emotional relationships with their own mothers (either enmeshed or disengaged) had higher scores on the Child Abuse Potential Inventory and less realistic views of children. Both of these things increase the risk that a person will maltreat their own child.

7. List 5 possible problems in social functioning seen in victims of psychological maltreatment.

Answer: Any 5 of these: Attachment problems

Poor social competence

Noncompliance

Aggression

Violence

Delinquency

Social Isolation

Poor empathy skills

Sexual maladjustment

8. List one factor related to greater resiliency and one related to greater harm in the face of psychological maltreatment.

Answer: Having a trusted, supportive adult in their life helps children to be resilient in the face of psychological maltreatment. Living in a family where domestic violence is a problem is associated with greater harm.

Additional Case Studies

1. Marshall (2012) provides 3 fictional case studies dealing with psychological maltreatment. After each case, Marshall uses the APSAC categories to identify the types of maltreatment evident in the scenarios. She also uses Hamarman and Bernet’s (2000) criteria for indicating whether the case represents mild, moderate, or severe psychological maltreatment.

Marshall, N. A. (2012). A clinician’s guide to recognizing and reporting parental psychological maltreatment of children. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 43(2), 73–79. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0026677

2. Binggeli et al. (2001) present a case study on psychological maltreatment. This 6 page description is based on court documents and it describes a severe case of emotional abuse along with physical abuse. Fourteen study questions follow the case study.

Binggeli, N. J., Hart, S. N., & Brassard, M. R. (2001). Psychological maltreatment: Case Study. In J. R. Conte (Ed.) Psychological Maltreatment of Children: The APSAC Study Guides 4. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

3. Brassard et al. (1991) provide a 12 page case description about a family that participated in their research project on psychological maltreatment. The family members are all described along with the case facts and the assessment procedures. The authors note examples of spurning, terrorizing, isolating, exploiting/corrupting and denial of emotional response. Medical, legal, social and family issues are also addressed. The description ends with treatment options.

Brassard, M. R., Hart, S. N., & Hardy, D. B. (2001). Psychological and emotional abuse of children. In R. T. Ammerman & M. Hersen (Eds.). Case Studies in Family Violence. New York, NY: Plenum Press.

Video Suggestion

1. Precious (2009). This 109 minute movie is a Lionsgate film. The movie tells the story of Precious Jones – the victim of emotional, sexual, and physical abuse. Warning – the film is rated R and contains very harsh language and deals with incest. The movie was nominated for 6 Academy Awards, including Best Picture.

The movie can be purchased for $9.99 on Amazon Prime or rented for $1.99. Note: This film depicts several types of maltreatment. I recommend it here because I think its portrayal of emotional abuse is the most salient.

2. In this 2:33 minute youtube clip

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYHrKmcuLYE), Dr. Sylvia Geering discusses The Developmental Costs of Emotional Abuse for Children. She notes the effects of emotional abuse and talks about ways to prevent emotional abuse in your own family. The video was uploaded on April 13, 2011.

3. The video Recognizing Child Abuse: Neglect and Emotional Abuse is produced by Health Portal. The video was produced in 2008. It covers both emotional abuse and emotional neglect. The obligations faced by mandated reporters are also addressed. It is available on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLfZXbShgzk

The video was uploaded on Jan. 3, 2012.

4. Psychological Maltreatment: A Central Issue in Violence Against Children is an hour a half long webinar presented by ISPCAN and APSAC. It is available on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RpatfXNhYA This video was uploaded on April 20, 2018.

5. The American Academy of Pediatrics posted a 3 minute, 48 second video on the long-term effects of child maltreatment, including emotional abuse. The video https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/146/4/e20200438

Discussion Topics

1. Have students review the child abuse laws from several states. Tell them focus on the definitions (or lack thereof) for psychological abuse and neglect.

https://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/systemwide/laws-policies/state/

Next, have the students discuss the similarities and differences they note across states. Which state’s law is the clearest in their opinion? Which state law is the best in their opinion? If they could draft a definition of their own state to use, how would they define psychological abuse and psychological neglect?

2. Is it ever okay to tell your child you are going to kill them? If so, under what conditions is this permissible? If not, why not?

3. Have students come up with instances of psychological maltreatment. Then, each student should ask their classmates to classify the act according to the APSAC criteria and then according to Glaser’s criteria. Which criterion is easier to use?

4. For several specific acts, have students try to agree on where to draw the line between good parenting, poor parenting and maltreatment.

Example 1: Joe, who is 12 years old, is consistently getting in trouble when he hangs out with a group of friends his parents suspect may be a gang. Joe has been caught vandalizing twice and shoplifting three times. His parents want to keep him from these peers. With respect to the issue of isolating, what type of response would reflect good parenting? Poor parenting? Maltreatment?

Example 2: Sally (14-years-old) is extremely lazy. She refuses to clean her room or even her own body. Sally has no physical or mental limitations that prevent her from doing her chores; she just refuses to help at all. With respect to the issue of spurning, what type of response would reflect good parenting? Poor parenting? Maltreatment?

Example 3: Christy, age 3 years, is very needy. She wants her mother’s constant attention. When her mother’s friend comes to visit, the adults can barely talk because Christy constantly begs for attention. With respect to the issue of denying emotional responsive responsiveness, what type of response would reflect good parenting? Poor parenting? Maltreatment?

5. Why do you think the incidence of psychological maltreatment is so much higher in retrospective studies than in data reported by the NIS or NCANDS? Which estimates do you think are likely to be more accurate?

6. Given the research on the effects of psychological maltreatment, what symptoms should you look for in children you work with? Would this differ depending on the age of the child?

Test Items