HPER-346 Human Development I Child Development Discipline and Abuse
Discipline: foundations of character, teaching children how to fit into society. Works best
if children are provided with a safe and predictable personality
•Methods: personality should be a factor
•Should be used as a foundation for learning
•Appropriate for children/age appropriate
•Fosters some sort of development
•Development of misbehavior: Natural, health, and how kids usually figure things
out about the world
•Erikson’s Theory: Development of Autonomy is crucial in this period, so discipline
should be used with great care
Abuse and Neglect
•Wide range of mistreatment falls into this category
•Abuse: basic needs are not being met. Hard to pinpoint and press charges
•Types of abuse: Physical, sexual, psychological
•Psychological abuse is the hardest form of abuse to prove and prosecute.
Characteristics of abuse:
•Changes in family income
•Parents are former sufferers of abuse
•Child has difficult temperament/developmental issues that may be untreated
•Community, culture, and their opinions on punishment
•Issues within the marriage of parents
•Isolation from family, or people who can offer support
What is reportable?
Physical abuse, sexual abuse, abandonment, medical neglect, and a failure to treat
psychological problems.
Reporting potential abuse is much better than doing nothing.
