- Title
- The psychological and physiological sequel of child maltreatment: a forensic perspective
- Creator
- Mallett, Xanthé; Schall, Ulrich
- Relation
- Neurology, Psychiatry and Brain Research Vol. 34, Issue December 2019, p. 9-12
- Publisher Link
- http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.npbr.2019.08.003
- Publisher
- Elsevier
- Resource Type
- journal article
- Date
- 2019
- Description
- Background: It has long been recognized that sustained or repeated child maltreatment has lasting psychological and emotional effects on the victims. This has helped to inform the criminal and civil justice systems how best to deal with perpetrators of abuse, as well social and health services when treating the victims. However, what is generally less well recognized is that physical and emotional abuse has a lasting and potentially non-reversible effect on brain function. Methods: We conducted a literature review on the forensic, mental, psychological, and pathophysiological impact of child maltreatment and discuss the implications of child maltreatment as a potential mitigating factor in criminal court in cases where victims of abuse become perpetrators themselves. Findings: Repeated exposure to traumatic experiences changes the responsiveness in the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis with lasting consequences in the developing brain for structures, such as the hippocampus and amygdala. These physiological changes are thought to cause a range of mental disorders, which are associated with poor affect regulation, anxiety, depression, and substance abuse. Conclusions: The importance of developing our understanding of the long-term effects of child abuse and neglect cannot be overestimated as the result of child maltreatment will perpetrate criminal acts since offenders have higher rates of mental illness than the general community.
- Subject
- childhood abuse; psychological trauma; post-traumatic stress disorder; pathophysiology of trauma response; criminal justice system; SDG 3; SDG 16; Sustainable Development Goals
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/1451648
- Identifier
- uon:44239
- Identifier
- ISSN:0941-9500
- Language
- eng
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