40 DYNAMIC INTERACTIONS: A COMPUTER MODEL OF CHILD ABUSE

Abstract

A computer simulation model, Dynamic Interactions, simulates the emergence of child abuse from a system of interacting individual, family and social variables. Each variable has a value, determined by the simultaneous excitatory and inhibitory influences of other variables, which can be converted to a probability to compare the relative strength of parental violence (PV) versus parental non-violence (PNV) (eg, non-violent discipline). The variables and interactions between them are based on research on pairwise interactions of relevant factors. The literature shows that PV increases a child's negative behaviors (CNB) (eg, hyperactivity, social withdrawal). In the model PV has an excitatory effect on the CNB. The literature suggests that a CNB can evoke PV. In the model the CNB has a simultaneous excitatory effect on PV. Similarly PNV and the child's positive behaviors (affection, affilitation) have reciprocal excitatory influences. Social variables including stress, supports and school experiences, and the child's health all have mutually excitatory interactions with parental or child variables. The model considers all interactions simultaneously in simulations of real life situations and replicates findings on child abuse. There are no necessary or sufficient causes. Variables (eg, stress) have greater impact in the context of other variables (child's illness) and block the impact of other factors (social support). The system develops positive feedback loops which stabilize patterns of PV. Adequate and dysfunctional parenting can be understood as arising from identical variables but differing in the particular values for the variables.