Research Research On The Effects Of Child Abuse And Neglect On Only Children (kinda Pissed)

[Fadeaway]

I have been searching for a long time now for research specifically pertaining to the effects of child abuse and neglect on only children. Since I fall into that category I believe that I have some unique issues that are a direct result of the combination of those two that would not exist had I only experienced one or the other.

Some of the issues that I have are due to not having learned certain social skills as a child and the challenges of trying to navigate learning them as an adult without people thinking you are completely insane. Especially, when you add PTSD in the mix. However, this is a thread on research and the specifics are better left to a thread in the symptoms and other disorders section of the site.

Being unable to find information or research on a specific set of challenges and symptoms so that I could do self-help work, I started writing to researchers that specialize in child abuse or only children.

I wrote to one researcher in the U.K. and was amazed by the speed of her reply. Sadly, she informed me that while she is completely aware that some of the specific challenges I mentioned were unique to neglected only children, no one is willing to publish such research because it would contradict most of the research out there.

I just received a reply from a researcher here in the states who told me that based on my letter, which was similar to the letter I sent to the researcher I previously mentioned, that I belong in a residential home. WTF? She also told me that I should address these issues in therapy. She seemed to fail to notice that I specifically stated that there were issues that had several therapists stumped and that I was not asking for therapeutic advice, only expressing a desire that the topic be researched or to be pointed in the direction of research that has already been done. I stated some of my issues only to show that there is not only a need but to give ideas in specifics that should be researched.

I believe some of the things left me more vulnerable than the average person when it comes to developing PTSD, and have presented challenges for me in getting the appropriate treatment for PTSD due to my struggles with verbalizing certain things.

So to any researchers or there who might read this thread, I encourage you to look into the subject. If anyone knows of any research I would love to read it.

 

[pixel]

*willing participant for the study*

 

[Suzetig]

I'm interested in a researcher saying no one will look at impact of neglect because it's pretty high on the social agenda certainly in Scotland. I don't think there's much focus on the potential link between childhood neglect and PTSD - though I think there is stuff on attachment disorders which I've heard being described as PTSD in infants.

Was she saying that specific issues you have contradict current research or that the idea of neglect causing significant harm into adulthood contradicts previous research? Not knowing what your issues are, I could see the former but not the latter? I'll have a look for neglect research and see if anything fits.

 

[Fadeaway]

I apologize @Suzetig perhaps I was unclear. I am not just talking about neglect and abuse, but neglect and abuse in only children, meaning children who didn't have siblings. I believe that a lack of interaction with other children in a home where abuse and neglect exist, create a specific set of challenges. The information on how to overcome these challenges does not appear to be out there as far as I can find. It has also left my previous therapists stumped as a result of this lack of research.

The link to PTSD in my situation is I believe that the combination of being an only child and being neglected as a child increased my risk for CSA and then later D.V. To be clear, I am not saying that children with siblings are not at risk, they certainly are! I am saying it was an added level of risk. For example, the level if fervency I attached myself to my abuser during the grooming stage and the fact that my abuser had 24/7 access to me as a result of the severe isolation I suffered. My choice in partners when I got older was a direct result as well. I specifically choose certain traits that I otherwise wouldn't have as there would have been no need.

As far as the researcher's response about contradicting research, she was referring specifically to the research that being an only child not only does not increase a person risk for abuse and neglect, the scholars has an attitude of it being impossible because parents of only children pour all their love into one child because it is their only child. This prevalent attitude infects teachers and other professionals that enter a child's life as well. So when the child reaches out for help they are seen as spoiled and acting out or at the very least, not at risk for abuse.

The other part is that researchers are working so hard to prove that only children do not have maladaptive social skills as adults resulting from the lack of other children in the home. I could go into many reasons why I strongly do not believe that is true and interferes with my ability to communicate with therapists and such. Sure, I seem to be ok at communicating through the written word, but in person, I stutter very badly and struggle with trying to form complete sentences, something that happens while I am typing but isn't apparent because people are unaware of the amount of effort and how slowly I put the sentence together. I also struggle with nonverbal communication. I am often surprised at how people tell me I come across and frequently find myself baffled while trying to interpret other people's non-verbal communication to the point of trying to analyze it days later due to lack of experience. Things I should have learned as a child.

There is more to it, but like I said, I really didn't want to turn this specific thread into a post about my symptoms.

 

[Suzetig]

That makes sense to me - in a positive family environment an only child does have the full attention of loving parents but in a less advantageous or abusive background, they also take the full brunt of the dysfunction. I surprised that researchers haven't looked at the impact of being an only child because in my experience child protection practitioners do have an eye to family composition when looking at abuse, particularly in terms of isolation. I guess the reality is though that many families where significant neglect is an issue there tends to be a number of children, some of who might have been removed into care but there are almost always siblings somewhere in the picture. I wonder if there just aren't enough only children identified as being neglected to conduct decent research in a particular locality.

I'll have a look and see if I can find anything here - I have good access to practice and academic writing so if there is something there's a good chance I'll find it.

 

[EveHarrington]

Sadly, this phenomenon is not uncommon.

It would be nice to think of research as 100% scientific, following the data or even a well researched hypothesis-----but sadly, this is far from the truth.

There is so much politics involved that it isn't even funny. The truth doesn't matter so much if it goes against current/past research or even currently accepted public opinion.

There's one area of research that I'd personally like to see investigated further but since it's extremely controversial and goes against popular perception and a very popular movement------it won't be further researched for at least a few more decades, minimum (although there have been studies before which back up this line of thinking).

For now I have to settle for my own truth. It's all I can do-----and while it stinks in a way because I feel like an island, there's nothing I can do to change things.

I wonder though, as I was an only child during my trauma (but am not now)----how did that affect me? Did my younger sibling help much more than I realize in terms of my socialization? It's interesting to ponder.

 

[anthony]

research specifically pertaining to the effects of child Abuse and neglect on only children

There is a whole bunch of research on the affects of child abuse. But these are simply often reported in adulthood, as parents who abuse or now protect abused children, tend not to allow them further exposure to being questioned about it or such. Ostrich phenomenon -- stick head in sand and hope it goes away. Seems to work for the majority.

Being unable to find information or research on a specific set of challenges and symptoms

I think this is what you're looking for to garnish such responses... what specific challenges and symptoms? Are you looking for a study that shows x, y and z, instead of what they show already as a majority?

 

[Suzetig]

But these are simply often reported in adulthood, as parents who abuse or now protect abused children, tend not to allow them further exposure to being questioned about it or such.

I think that's a fair point, I also know you'd find it difficult to get research about abuse involving abused children through an ethics committee these days. Research around abuse can be an ethical minefield, as can research involving children - combine the two together and it's a complete nightmare.

 

[Fadeaway]

@anthony, I am headed to a funeral right now, but if you don't might I would like to discuss the symptoms in another thread which I will try to write tomorrow. I will tag you in it if you want me too.

 

[pixel]

Please count me in as well

 

[Fadeaway]

Be patient with me on the other thread, I experienced a very distressing situation this morning, so ineed to get my self grounded first.

 

[sedna]

I have been searching for a long time now for research specifically pertaining to the effects of child...

Well that whole thing sucks. For one thing, on other topics, I've noticed in the past that U.K. research into quite a few medical and psychiatric issues are often very relevant and superior to other studies. The problem, I suspect, is that they are at the mercy of the powers running a socialist regime, in the form of the NHS.
Basically, an accountant somewhere runs a statistical analysis of what the new development is likely to cost the system, in new treatments and diagnostics and compares numbers. Some poor researcher no one ever heard of always gets a little mention when the American research time finds a nice profitable way to make it the disease of the year. Sorry ,I'm cynical about this shit.

I cant imagine how being an abused and neglected only child wouldnt make you totally confused about some basic personal care and adult life that seems automatic to others. I bet some people react with hyper vigilance and become the compulsive hand washing - checkbook balancing types, but most, like myself, can have an enormous tolerance for things other people wouldnt even consider in the self neglect category. Seriously, I know first hand what childhood neglect does to basic adult functioning. I'm sorry people that actually study that made you feel bad. :grumpy: