Child abuse from the perspective and family risk factors

Abstract

Introduction: Child abuse is a health problem and a crime in contemporary societies. Child abuse behaviors are common and considered disciplinary guidelines. As a public health problem, this has prompted reflection on what attitude a professional in the sector should adopt when suspected of child abuse. This is a little-explored topic, hence the interest of this study.

Objective: To characterize child abuse in the dynamics of abusive families or those with risk factors for abuse in a Working Group at the Mario Escalona Polyclinic, identifying the recognition of the existence of abuse in the dynamics of these groups as well as the relationship between family functioning and abuse.

Methods: An exploratory, qualitative-quantitative, and cross-sectional study was performed. The FF-SIL was used to assess family functioning and the EMI-7 was used to identify abuse, observation, and interviews. The study was conducted at the Mario Escalona Reguera Polyclinic, Alamar, between June and December 2023.

Results: Families characterized by living conditions that allow for the satisfactory development of children were identified. Family dysfunction, alcohol consumption and cigarette smoking was present in most cases. Parents do not recognize the existence of child abuse in their dynamics, although they were selected for the study because of this condition.

Conclusions: Most families are dysfunctional, although denied acts of abuse against their minors are present. Behavior control in minors involves physical abuse that does not pose a risk to their lives; therefore, these acts are not recognized as mistreatment. It was found that the greater the family dysfunction, the greater the likelihood of child abuse.Introduction: Child abuse is a health problem and a crime in contemporary societies. Child abuse behaviors are common and considered disciplinary guidelines. As a public health problem, this has prompted reflection on what attitude a professional in the sector should adopt when suspected of child abuse. This is a little-explored topic, hence the interest of this study.
Objective: To characterize child abuse in the dynamics of abusive families or those with risk factors for abuse in a Working Group at the Mario Escalona Polyclinic, identifying the recognition of the existence of abuse in the dynamics of these groups as well as the relationship between family functioning and abuse.
Methods: An exploratory, qualitative-quantitative, and cross-sectional study was performed. The FF-SIL was used to assess family functioning and the EMI-7 was used to identify abuse, observation, and interviews. The study was conducted at the Mario Escalona Reguera Polyclinic, Alamar, between June and December 2023.
Results: Families characterized by living conditions that allow for the satisfactory development of children were identified. Family dysfunction, alcohol consumption and cigarette smoking was present in most cases. Parents do not recognize the existence of child abuse in their dynamics, although they were selected for the study because of this condition.
Conclusions: Most families are dysfunctional, although denied acts of abuse against their minors are present. Behavior control in minors involves physical abuse that does not pose a risk to their lives; therefore, these acts are not recognized as mistreatment. It was found that the greater the family dysfunction, the greater the likelihood of child abuse.