Physical abuse of children: Some considerations when seen from the dynamic perspective

Abstract

SUMMARY Consideration of the psychodynamic perspective in physical abuse of children can help to enhance our understanding of individual cases and also enable agencies working in this area to plan their services with due regard to the needs of their staff. If efficiency and effectiveness are to be sustained sufficient emphasis needs to be given to the very powerful experiences that are occurring, at all levels. Space needs to be provided for these to be considered, processed and dealt with by the children, adults and professionals since child-abuse occurs as a result of impulsive behaviour where conflicts cannot be resolved, at the time, in another way. In order to establish more appropriate patterns of conflict resolution, families need to be helped to think rather than act, and if professionals are to be able to function in this way themselves, as conscious and unconscious models to their families, the professionals need to have experienced this themselves, to know from experience. Knowing intellectuall...