PSYCHOTHERAPEUTIC

INTERVENTIONS
FOR ABUSED
CHILDREN
 Therapeutic Process
•
• Therapy is the

 art and science of helping children make

sense of their feelings, thoughts, and
behavior and

 learn how to control their behavior and

improve interactions with others.
•
ROLE OF THE THERAPIST: The therapist's initial
function

 to establish rapport and develop

a trusting relationship

 that will help the child address

the thoughts, feelings, and
behaviors that are generated by
abuse and neglect.
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Salter, Richardson, and Kairys state
that, “Abused children have
learned that their world is an
unpredictable, often hurtful place.

The adults who care for them may be

angry, impatient, depressed, and
distant.

Children can be transformed, without

warning, into hostile, violent persons.”
The therapist has to promote
 the child's awareness and
understanding of abuse dynamics,
encourages growth & development

 Control the inappropriate

identification with the offender, and
supports the child's individuality and
personal integrity.
Primary Goals of Treatment
Reduce Child’s sense of insecurity
Reduce physical and psychological
types of symptoms like anxiety,
depression.

Reduce trauma related symptoms in

sexual abuse case

feeling of embracement, shame and

behaviors related to sexual abuse
• The therapist must teach the child to care
for him/herself,

• make him think about his/her behavior

that trigger abusive parental behavior,
and

• to help the child regain trust, faith, and

investment in meaningful relationships.
Continue……
• give the child the opportunity to
explore issues of trust, acceptance,
affiliation, and emotional intimacy.

• The therapist can be more helpful by

remaining neutral and empathetic to
the child's situation
Therapeutic Relationship
A number of factors contribute to a
successful therapeutic relationship with an
abusive child. The following concepts are
especially important in developing the kind of
relationship that supports a child's of the
issues related to abuse and neglect.

Trust
Safety
Physical safety (Home & social environment)
Emotional safety
Resistances (defense mechanisms)
 Stages of Therapy
The process of therapy might be divided into
4 distinct phases
Intake, a beginning phase: presenting
problem as well as the child's symptoms and
their severity

Middle or processing phase: thru 2 major

tasks therapist can help the child
1. identifying how the child has been affected
by the abuse and
2. identifying ways to cope productively with
his/her symptoms)
Therapeutic Techniques
The following modalities are effective in helping
children and their parents learn about the effects of
abuse and neglect.
Primary Prevention programs
Play therapy
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Anger Management Programs
Eye Movement Desensitization and
Reprocessing (EMDR)
Family Therapy
Group Therapy
Primary Prevention Program
The purpose PPP for children is to help the
child become knowledgeable about his/her
rights to safety and protection.

Because children are known to be more

seriously affected by prolonged abuse,
knowing what abuse is and encouraging
disclosure early in the abuse experience is
a prevention goal well worth the effort
Play Therapy!!
Dynamic Play Therapy:focuses
•Reflection to increase child’s self
understanding (insight).

• Acceptance to convey positive regard for the

child and improve the child’s self-esteem.

• Interpretation to assist children in

identifying and expressing feelings.
•
Play Therapy Techniques
The feeling word game
Color your life
Balloons of anger:
Relaxation Training:
Worry Can Beat The Clock
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
• Learning and applying Sexual Behavior Rules
for children.
• Impulse control through learning and
applying the Turtle Technique (a stop and
think before acting strategy).
• Cognitive reframing to prevent re-abuse of
or by the child.
• Weekly assessment of acquisition of
information.
• Positive reinforcement techniques for
appropriate behavior and participation in
group exercises.
 Group Therapy
is especially helpful for decreasing isolation,
improving social skills, and monitoring and
intervening in problematic interactional
patterns of behavior.

GT also allows the child to identify and

learn from peers and group leaders and
helps the child learn new and possibly more
effective ways of interacting and
communicating about his/her circumstances
Eye Movement Desensitization and
Reprocessing (EMDR)
EMDR is a multi-component therapeutic
procedure for traumatic memories and for
posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) that

purports to restart and facilitate blocked

processing of the traumatic memory,
promote more adaptive cognitions regarding
the trauma, and

to install alternate positive cognitions, coping

strategies, and adaptive behaviors.
 Family Therapy
most helpful when the family is willing and able to view
the abuse or neglect as an issue that needs to be
addressed by all the members in the family.

FT is an opportunity to explore roles and relationships,

help family members recognize the impact that their
behavior has on each other, and increase family
cohesion and belonging.
can facilitate problem solving and improve
communication between members.

FT seems most helpful after the individual family

members have addressed their intrapersonal and
developmental issues in individual or GT (group T).
Abuse Cycle & Community
Based Programs

Ecological Model
 The Cycle of Abuse...
 Family violence
 Abuser-to

abuser cycle
 Factors in

altering the
cycle of
violence
Ecological Models

Treatment Providers

Neighborhood

School

Peers

Family

Child
Common Features of Successful Child
Abuse Prevention Programs
_______________________________________
Strengthen family and community
connections and support.

Treat parents as vital contributors to their

children's growth and development.

Create opportunities for parents to feel

empowered to act on their own behalf.
Respect the integrity of the family.

.
 Establish links with community
support systems.

Provide settings where parents and

children can gather, interact, support
and learn from each other.

Enhance coordination and integration

of services needed by families.
Enhance community awareness of
the importance of healthy parenting
practices.
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Psychopathology and offending
behavior

Working with child abuse survivors:

PTSD

Working with domestic violence

victims: PTSD
 If a child lives with “Criticism”
He learns to “Condemn”
If a child lives with “Encouragement”
He learns “Confidence”
If a child lives with “Sense of
Security”
He learns to have “Faith in Others”
If a child lives with “Ridicule”
He learns to be “Shy”
If a child lives with “Approval”
He learns to “Accept Himself”
If a child lives with “Tolerance”
He learns to be “Patient”
If a child lives with “Acceptance &
Friendship”
He learns to find “Love in the World”

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Thank You