PSYCHOLOGICAL ABUSE AND NEGLECT OF CHILDREN IN THE FAMILY

Psihičko zlostavljanje i zanemarivanje djece u obitelji kao jedan "neuhvatljivi" koncept, koji ne ostavlja jasne materijalne dokaze predstavlja izazov i u istraživanju i u svakodnevnoj praksi. Gotovo ga uvijek prate drugi oblici zlostavljanja i zanemarivanja, ali se javlja i samostalno. Tek se u novije vrijeme pozornost struke usmjerila na razumijevanje prirode i posljedica psihičkog zlostavljanja i zanemarivanja djece. Ovo područje obilježavaju teškoće u određenju, prepoznavanju i mjerenju. Stoga je razmjere tog problema u općoj populaciji teško utvrditi, a kvalitetna intervencija izostaje. U ovom su radu prikazana osnovna obilježja problema psihičkog zlostavljanja i zanemarivanja djece u obitelji: oblici, različita određenja, učestalost, činitelji rizika, te mogući učinci. Prikazane su neke metodološke teškoće i etičke dileme u istraživanjima zlostavljanja djece. Sva istraživanja ukazuju na to da je psihičko zlostavljanje i zanemarivanje djece povezano s nizom emocionalnih, bihevioralnih i kognitivnih teškoća u djetinjstvu, tijekom adolescencije i u odrasloj dobi. U prilog tome se u radu navode rezultati longitudinalnih međukulturalnih istraživanja te istraživanja koja omogućuju usporedbu utjecaja različitih oblika zlostavljanja i zanemarivanja djece.Mental abuse and neglect of children in the family as an “elusive” concept, which leaves no clear material evidence, represents a challenge, both in the research and in everyday practice. It is almost invariably accompanied by other forms of abuse and neglect, but it also appears independently. Only recently has the profession’s attention turned to the understanding of the nature and consequences of mental abuse and neglect of the children. This area is characterised by the difficulties in the determination, recognition and measurement. Therefore it is difficult to determine the scope of this problem in the general population, and the adequate intervention is missing. This paper presents basic features of the problem of mental abuse and neglect of children in the family: forms, various attributes, frequency, risk factors and possible effects. Some methodological difficulties and ethical dilemmas in the research of the child abuse are presented. Various research studies show that mental abuse and neglect of children is connected with a series of different emotional, behavioural and cognitive difficulties in the childhood, during the adolescence and in the adult age. In addition, the paper mentions the results of longitudinal, intercultural research studies, as well as the research studies that enable the comparison of the influence of different forms of abuse and neglect of children