Psychosocial Integrity Q 11
A clinic nurse interviews a parent who is suspected of abusing her child. Which of the following characteristics is the nurse least likely to find in an abusing parent?
A. Low self-esteem
B. Unemployment
C. Self-blame for the injury to the child
D. Single status
Correct Answer: C. Self-blame for the injury to the child
The profile of a parent at risk of abusive behavior includes a tendency to blame the child or others for the injury sustained. The child may also be perceived by the parents as an extension of self. The parents’ lack of self-esteem and negative self-image may be projected onto the child as well. The child becomes a scapegoat and is made to pay for the parents’ sense of inadequacy and failure.
Option A: Abusive parents often lack the skills and abilities necessary to provide emotionally for themselves. They have not learned to identify and obtain the emotional support for themselves. They have not learned to identify and obtain the emotional support they need from others nor have they learned how to cope with the anger, fear, frustration they feel, in relation to these unmet needs. Low self-esteem can lead to low expectation; abusive parents are likely to expect, even to provide, rejection. They feel unloved, unappreciated, and unwanted. This negative self-image often leads to perceptions of themselves as insignificant, unattractive, or stupid.
Option B: External stress, like loss of employment or unemployment, is frequently a contribution factor in abuse. Significant personal loss such the death of a close relative or the relocation of a friend or neighbor can strip the parent of precious support mechanisms, heighten the sense of futility and create a feeling of inability to control one’s own life. This loss of control can in turn lead to abuse.
Option D: Abusive parents expect very little from others in the way of friendship or support. They avoid rejection and anger by breaking off close personal relationships. They avoid rejection and anger by breaking off close personal relationships. They avoid committing themselves to caring relationships with neighbors, friends, and even family.