Summary Vulnerability, resilience and rights of children
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Course
SLK 210
Institution
University Of Pretoria (UP)
Psychology in second year focuses on the different developmental stages of our lives and adolescence. These notes focus on the most important information to prepare for assessments.
Chapter 7: Vulnerabilities, resilience & rights of
children
Divorce
~ divorce can affect children significantly
~ 25 000 divorces annually
~ children from intact homes have psychological
problems
~ 70% see divorce as acceptable solution to unhappy marriage
~relationship with children and father negatively impacted
~ lower level of educational/occupational/financial attainment
~ reject faith and religion
Important factors determining reaction to divorce
• Degree of conflict before and after the divorce: higher level of visible conflict = lower
psychological well-being of children and their adjustment to the situation.
• Stability after divorce: extent of changes can have a serious effect on the child’s
ability to adjust.
• The nature of the parent-child relationships: long-term involvement can be
emotionally supportive and helps adjusting
• The age of the child: infants’ loss of appetite and upset stomach. 3-5 years believe
they caused the divorce and feal abandonment. 6-12 years’ experience difficulties in
coping with divorce. Intense anger and conflict with authority figure. Adolescents
experience anger/fear/loneliness and are suddenly pushed into adulthood
• Levels of social support: social support impacts the child. Enhance feelings of security
and belonging
• Information given to children:they adjust better if the necessary information about
the divorce. Uniformed = distorted perception
• Uniqueness of the child: every individual is unique. Children respond differently and
have different coping mechanisms
• Gender of the child: boys experience separation from their father more acutely than
girls
• Boys less compliant than girls and in more conflict
• Girls show more emotions than boys do
Suggestion for parents to help their children adjust to the divorce process
Suggestion Explanation
Shield children from conflict Witnessing conflict damages children
Provide children with continuity Adjust better when stability
Explain the divorce Fear of abandonment if not prepared
Emphasis permanence of divorce Accept reality of situation
Respond sympathetically to feelings Children need supportive and understanding response to
feelings of sadness
Engage in authoritative parenting Reduce maladjustment following divorce
Promote continuing relationship Children adjust well when civil relationship between parents
Compiled, revised and sold by Bronwyn de Sousa. DO NOT SHARE!
, Stepfamilies
• Second marriage often demands adjustment from children
• Regard new step-relations as stressful
• Violation of relationship with parent
• More behaviour problems
• More psychological problems such as depression
Maltreatment
o Recently started to receive attention
o Prevalence impossible to maintain
o too afraid to report abuse
o 55% rape, 18% sexual assault, 9% abandonment, 5% kidnapping
DIVIDED INTO 4 CATEGORIES
1. Neglect
o Failure to provide basic needs to child
o Physical neglect involves inadequate supervision and failing to provide
housing/nutrition
o Emotional neglect occurs when psychological needs not met (no affection)
o Educational Neglect involves failure to enroll in schooling and allowing truancy
o Cognitive development + academic achievement impacted
2. Physical
Abuse
o Aggression such as punching/slapping/kicking
o Three children are murdered per day
o Belie and psychological damage and wounds
o Emotional/cognitive/behavioural dysfunctional
3. Sexual
Abuse
o Any illegal sexual act committed against a child
o includes rape/fondling/sodomy/exhibition/using child in pornography
o 8-31% in girls + 3-17% for boys
o 25% of men admitted to rape
o Raped before age of 20
Compiled, revised and sold by Bronwyn de Sousa. DO NOT SHARE!
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