Families with abused children: a follow-up study of post-crisis support.
Treatment provisions planned and executed were studied in a follow-up of 14 abused or neglected children three years after discharge from the Children's Department of Ullevaal Hospital. A majority of the families were shown to have received either no help or inappropriate help. Half of the children were evaluated as being so emotionally impaired that serious future adjustment problems could be anticipated. Inappropriate treatment related to lack of understanding, workers' own feelings and normative standards. Overidentification with parents and a general belief in their ability to develop caring skills were observed as was the tendency to overlook or minimize the child's experiences and the risk to which he was exposed. Anxiety, insecurity and lack of skill in establishing appropriate relationships prevented workers obtaining adequate bases for evaluation and for effectuation of treatment. Workers' professional situations were unfavorable in specified ways. Appropriate treatment was based on differentiated psychosocial evaluation, a high involvement level by the worker and continuity. The professional situation was also favorable. Workers combined traditional therapeutic approaches with conscious use of professional authority. They intervened actively for protective purposes but were empathetic with both child and parents.
D000359:Aftercare / Q000379:methods; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003419:Crisis Intervention; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010347:Patient Care Planning / Q000379:methods; D011368:Professional-Family Relations; D012931:Social Environment; D012944:Social Support