The Impact of Child Physical Abuse on Academic Achievement and Behavior

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The Impact of Child Physical Abuse on Academic Achievement and Behavior In modern society, a child’s performance in school is considered an indicator of their abilities to create a successful future. Most children receive the love and support from their parents which contributes to adequate school performance. However, for children who are physically abused, school can add an incredible amount of pressure to an already stressful life. In regards to this paper, the term child physical abuse refers to the intentional acts of injury or harm to a person under the age of 18 by a parent or caregiver. These acts can be caused by and not limited to: hitting, slapping, kicking, stabbing, or burning. Krase (2011) mentions that educators and school staff must follow the policy of mandated reporting which requires them to report suspicions of child abuse to Child Protective Services (CPS) in accordance with the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) (p.147). While this type of reporting does bring awareness to these physically violent situations, how can our public school systems further support students who are victims of physical abuse? How can we expect the children of our society to perform well at school while they are being physically abused at home? Child physical abuse creates negative issues for the child and hinders their academic achievement and behavior at school. The goal of this paper is to highlight the negative effects child physical abuse has on a child’s overall school experience including a decline in mental health and physical injury consequences. In addition to these effects, this paper will look at the aggressive behaviors that can develop because of child physical abuse and its relation to Albert Bandura... ... middle of paper ... ...iatric inpatients. Child Abuse & Neglect, 29(9), 1031-1047. doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2004.12.013 Cranes, M., Kuo, D., Sheridan, J., Springer K.W., (2007). Long-term physical and mental health consequences of childhood physical abuse: Results from a large population-based sample of men and women. Child Abuse and Neglect, 31(5), 517-530. doi: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2007.01.003. Frojd, S.A., Nissinen, E.S., Pelkonen, M., Marttunen, M.J., Koivisto, A., Kaltiala-Heino, R. (2008). Depression and school performance in middle adolescent boys and girls. Journal of Adolescence, 31(4), 485-498. Krase, K.S. (2011). Educational Personnel as Reporters of Suspected Child Maltreatment. Children Schools, 35(3), 147-154. doi: 10.1093/cs/cdt008 Naidoo, S. (2000). A profile of the oro-facial injuries in child physical abuse at a children’s hospital. Child Abuse & Neglect, 24(4), 521-534.

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