Child maltreatment is defined as all types of emotional and physical abuse, desertion, sexual harassment, and exploitation that lead to prospective or real harm to the child’s self-worth, growth, or health. The major forms of child maltreatment include desertion, physical ill-treatment, emotional abuse, psychological abuse, and sexual abuse. It occurs in diverse societies and cultures and affects children of all genders, ages, ethnicities, and socioeconomic backgrounds. It is associated with delayed growth and development, physical injuries, and mental health issues. In this case, the paper concentrates on physical abuse as the major child mistreatment in the case of “Physical Abuse and the Third Grader.”
Summary of the Case
The case comes from Chapter 4 (Child Maltreatment), which presents Ms. Spatzer, a third-grade teacher, and one of her students, Lloyd (Cavaiola & Colford, 2018). Ms. Spatzer noted suspicious bruising on Lloyd’s upper arms, and at first sight, she assumed that “boys will be boys,” and that the bruise may be a result of boys’ play. Later, the situation became suspicious after Spitzer decided to interrogate Lloyd concerning the bruise. Lloyd’s nonverbal and verbal behaviors raised concerns as he became agitated when interrogated and averted eye contact whenever Ms. Spatzer questioned him about the issue. Lloyd changed her dress code and always wore long-sleeved shirts to hide the bruise, irrespective of the weather. After considering all these observations, Ms. Spatzer approached the school psychologists for guidance regarding the case. After she presented her concerns regarding Lloyd to the psychologist, she asked her to contact the local Child Protective Services (CPS) agency so that they could investigate the suspicions. Ms. Spatzer feared the repercussions of making such calls and started questioning whether she would be in trouble if she was wrong. The psychologists decided to help her make the call, and they proceeded to the psychologist’s office to make the call.
Assessments
Triage Assessment Form (TAF): it is a mechanism used in crisis intervention and assesses the cognitive, behavioral, and affective reactions of people involved in crisis events. The method presents clinicians with an understanding of particular reactions that a victim is experiencing and the intensity of such reactions. It presents a quick, easy-to-use, and accurate method directly relevant to the intervention process. TAF is simple to use, straightforward, and sophisticated as it cuts across affective, cognitive, and behavioral dimensions of the domains of a victim: it compartmentalizes every domain as to its typical response mode while assigning values to these modes, allowing the specialists to determine the victim’s current level of functioning (James & Gilliland, 2017). It is designed to streamline the assessment process to ensure that essential information regarding the victim is methodically gathered and documented, which includes the nature and severity of presenting symptoms, pertinent medical history, and demographic details. James and Gilliland (2017) claim that TAF allows numerical ratings, presenting a tangible and efficient guide to the degree and type of intervention the specialists need to make in crisis situations. This assessment method is relevant to Ms. Spatzer’s case as it critically assesses Lloyd’s physical abuse. The form would allow the Child Protective Services officials to identify physical injuries, assess pain and distress, recognize behavioral cues, and document the history regarding previous instances of abuse or related injuries, hence establishing a pattern of abuse.
Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children (TSCC): it is a framework used to measure the sternness and firmness of post-traumatic distress and interrelated psychological symptomatology such as dissociation, anger, depression, and anxiety in kids, especially between the ages 8 and 16, who have passed through traumatic happenings such as sexual abuse, major loss, physical abuse, or natural disasters. The TSCC is extraordinary in its assessment of diverse symptom realms that are obstinate with critical trauma responses in adolescents and children (Morelli et al., 2021). This method is widely utilized in the examination of children’s trauma responses in clinical exercises. It incorporates a broad, Trans diagnostic spectrum of glitches that are linked to both single-event and chronic trauma disclosure. TSCC has six clinical scales evaluating anger, depression, post-traumatic stress, sexual concerns, anxiety, and dissociation (Morelli et al., 2021). The method is administered by professionals such as psychologists, psychiatrists, clinical social workers, or counselors to the children typically abused. It involves letting the child complete a questionnaire that tests their feelings, thoughts, and trauma-related behaviors. The responses are later evaluated to determine the score, presence, and severity of trauma symptoms, which is critical in presenting treatment planning and intervention. TSCC can be applied to Ms. Spatzer’s case by presenting the questionnaires to Lloyd, and then from his responses, it can be scored to determine the physical abuse trauma such as depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Interventions
Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT): it is an intervention for mental health problems, especially for children, adolescents, and families experiencing the destructive effects of trauma. TF-CBT is an effective intervention for children affected by trauma with diverse mental health consequences, including symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, externalizing behaviors, and internalizing symptoms (Canale et al., 2022). The treatment targets individuals between 3-18 years, and it concentrates on skill building, psychoeducation, cognitive processing, and steady disclosure of traumatic reminiscences to aid children in improving functioning in diverse domains affected by trauma, including cognitive, behavioral, affective, and social. James and Gilliland (2017) argue that Cognitive Behavior Therapy helps in transferring the child’s unhealthy image to a safe, tranquil, and calm scene while giving the affected child a sense of control and empowerment. Since the clients are children, this method often brings non-offending caregivers or parents into treatment and assimilates the principles of family therapy. From the Christian worldview, victims can feel encouraged by the bible. “For I will restore health to you, and your wounds I will heal, declares the Lord, because they have called you an outcast: ‘It is Zion, for whom no one cares!” (The English Standard Version, 2016, Jeremiah 30:17). Thus verse presents comfort to the impacted individuals knowing that God promises them healing hence they are not left alone. God will bring joy back to their life through healing and restoration. This intervention is relevant to Ms. Spatzer’s case as it would help Lloyd recover from the traumatic experience by addressing trauma symptoms, processing traumatic incidents, countering negative beliefs, establishing coping skills, and promoting healing and recovery.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR): it is a mental therapy that treats conditions happening as a result of traumatic events in the past. James and Gilliland (2017) argue that EMDR’s primary technique is to have the person picture the traumatic event in their mind or think about the feelings or thoughts associated with the trauma, especially by following the therapist’s finger as it moves rapidly back and forth. It is commonly known for treating post-traumatic stress disorder, although this does not limit its treatment of many other conditions. It involves a victim moving their eyes in a particular way while processing traumatic commemorations. Its principle goal is to aid in healing from trauma or other distressing experiences, and the method is effective and helps people heal faster. EMDR contains eight phases designed to treat emotional distress and these phases include Patient history and information gathering, preparation and education stage, evaluation phase that contains two evaluation instruments (Validity of Cognition (VOC) and Subjective Units of Distress (SUD)) scales, desensitization and reprocessing phase, installation phase, body scan, discussions and preparations, and the last phase is reevaluation and continuing care (Goga et al., 2022). During therapy, professionals utilize different bilateral stimuli, including the interchange of sounds between speakers, light that changes positions, or vibrations of devices held by victims, to help victims process a distressing experience. The method has diverse benefits, such as being proven effective, working faster than other kinds of therapy, entails less homework, and is less stressful. “Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.” (The English Standard Version, 2016, Deuteronomy 31:6). Victims can draw strength from such verse. With God’s presence and guidance, people can find comfort and strength no matter the situation they are going through (traumatic experiences). The intervention is relevant to Ms. Spatzer’s case regarding Lloyd’s physical abuse case due to various reasons, including it processes traumatic reminiscences, hence reducing Lloyd’s emotional intensity and distress; it addresses negative beliefs such as Lloyd may have the belief that he is worthless or powerless or the word is unsafe, it also reduces distress and symptoms, it will also improve Lloyd sense of agency, self-concept, and self-esteem.
Conclusions
Child maltreatment was brought to light clearly by the Ms. Spatzer and Lloyd case. It presented the demoralizing effects of child physical abuse, necessitating the urge for effective interventions to address the probe while supporting the victims and promoting the healing process. Utilization of diverse interventions, including Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), together with the Cristian Worldview, victims can be able to heal and recover from the traumatic experience. There is a need to offer support and required resources to the survivors of child physical abuse as they need it to thrive.
References
Canale, C. A., Hayes, A. M., Yasinski, C., Grasso, D. J., Webb, C., & Deblinger, E. (2022). Caregiver behaviors and child distress in trauma narration and processing sessions of trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT). Behavior therapy, 53(1), 64-79.https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.beth.2021.06.001
Cavaiola, A., & Colford, J. (2018). Crisis Intervention: A Practical Guide. SAGE Publications, Inc., https://doi.org/10.4135/9781544327457 (page 61)
Goga, N., Boiangiu, C. A., Vasilateanu, A., Popovici, A. F., Drăgoi, M. V., Popovici, R., … & Hadăr, A. (2022, January). An efficient system for eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy: a pilot study. In Healthcare (Vol. 10, No. 1, p. 133). MDPI.
Holy Bible. (2016). English Standard Version. Crossway Bibles.
James, R. K., & Gilliland, B. E. (2017). Crisis intervention strategies (Eighth). Cengage Learning.
Morelli, N. M., Elson, D., Duong, J. B., Evans, M. C., & Villodas, M. T. (2021). Examining the factor structure and measurement invariance of the trauma symptom checklist for children in a diverse sample of trauma-exposed adolescents. Assessment, 28(5), 1471-1487.https://doi.org/10.1177/1073191120939158