English 50 Cause and Effect
Professor Morrison
11 May 2011

Long Term Effects of Physical Abuse There are many types of abuse that a child can be put through. Physical abuse makes up about 25 percent of the reported cases of abuse a year (http://www.childwelfare.gov). Some long term effects are physical health consequences, psychological consequences, and behavioral consequences. Physical health consequences caused by physical abuse are impaired brain development, poor physical health and shaken baby syndrome(sbs). Physical abuse has shown, in some cases, to cause important regions of the brain to fail to form properly (Perry, B.D 2002) Physical abuse has also been known to cause poor physical health such as sexually transmitted diseases. Shaken Baby Syndrome(SBS) is another physical health consequences due to the fact that it can cause blindness, learning disabilities in infants. Psychological consequences cause by physical abuse are poor mental and emotional health, cognitive difficulties, and social difficulties. Many of the young adults develop some type of psychiatric disorder early in life. As researchers stated, "These young adults exhibited many problems, including depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and suicide attempts (Silverman, Reinherz, & Giaconia, 1996). Children that have been abused or neglected have been known to do poorly in school. Children that are abused or neglected often have difficulties in relationships later in life with other adults as well as their peers. Physical abuse also has behavioral consequences such as difficulties during adolescence, juvenile delinquency and adult criminality, alcohol and other drug abuse, and abusive behavior. Most children that have been neglected or abused often develop behavioral ranging from delinquency to mental health problems. Being abused and neglected as a child increased the likelihood of an arrest as a juvenile by 59 percent, and it also increased the likelihood of adult criminal behavior by 28 percent and violent crime by 30 percent as indicated by a National Institute of Justice study (Widom & Maxfield, 2001). The same research study reflects the likelihood of abused and neglected children will smoke cigarettes, abuse alcohol, or take illegal drugs. Lastly, another big consequence of physical abuse is abuse children will eventually victimize their own children. In closing, physical abuse has many long term effects. Some long term effects are physical health consequences, psychological consequences, and behavioral consequences. Effects such as these can severely affect a child's development through life, affect how the child interacts with people.

Works Citied
Http://www.childwelfare.gov
Kelly, B.T., Thornberry, T.P., & Smith, C.A. (1997). In the wake of childhood maltreatment. Washington, DC: National Institute of Justice
Silverman, A.B., Reinherz, H.Z, Giaconia, R.M. (1996). The Long-term sequelaeof child and adolescent abuse: A longitudinal community study. Child Abuse and Neglect, 20(8), 709- 723
Teicher, M.D. (2000) Wounds that time won't heal: The neurobiology of child abuse. Cerebrum: The Dana Forum on brain science
Widom, C.S & Maxfield, M.G. (2001). An update on the 'cycle of violence' Washington, DC: National Institute of Justice

1. Long Term Effects of Physical Abuse
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