P01-171 - Medical and Social Consequences of Child Abuse

Abstract

Child abuse and neglect are a cause of psychological problems which may have further negative influence on the future life of children. Alongside with symptoms of deprivation, disorders of mental development and affective sphere and vegetal dysfunction such children can display disinhibition of instincts with sadistic propensities and form a personality without positive social attitudes, aspiration for delinquent behavior.

Aim of the research

To study the role of child abuse in genesis of criminal and aggressive behavior in adolescents.

Material and methods

650 adolescents that underwent forensic psychiatric evaluation in the Serbsky Centre were examined by complex clinical psychopathological, pathopsychological and instrumentally diagnostic methods. The average age of patients was 16.7 years old.

Results and discussions

The research has revealed that 60.5% adolescents have committed aggressive and violent crimes (murder, sexual assault), 86% adolescents of the sample were brought to trial for murder and grave bodily injuries that resulted in death of the victims, 12% have committed sexual crimes. Examination of the micro social factors showed that 80% of the adolescents were brought up in disadvantaged families under conditions of emotional deprivation, 55% of them were physically abused and 30% of them were victims of sexual abuse.

Conclusion

Our research proves that a factors of “learning of violence” at home play a great role in aggressive behavior formation in children and adolescents. Continuous chain of violence and abuse that a child suffers at home leads to abnormal personal development, distortion of socialization and formation of delinquent behavior.