Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Repeated Abuse during Childhood and Adolescence Leading to Suicidal Behavior in an Adolescent: A Case Report

  • ORIGINAL ARTICLE
  • Published:
Journal of Family Violence Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Children in all societies are often neglected, maltreated, abused, intentionally or otherwise by their parents, siblings and in school. One of the most important and preventable long term consequences of childhood abuse is the development of suicidal tendencies in adolescence or adulthood. We report such a case of childhood abuse leading to repeated suicidal attempts in an adolescent. Individual and family therapy, coupled with other specific interventions, has helped the teenager and his family lead a normal life. Thus, proper treatment and counseling will be helpful to cope with difficult family and social situations.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Explore related subjects

Discover the latest articles, news and stories from top researchers in related subjects.

References

  • Ammerman, R. T. (1990). Etiological models of child maltreatment: a behavioral perspective. Behavior Modification, 14, 230–254.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brown, M. J. (Ed.). (1992). Miller-Keane encyclopedia & dictionary of medicine, nursing, & allied health (5th ed.). Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders Company.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown, J., Cohen, P., Johnson, J. G., & Smailes, E. M. (1999). Childhood abuse and neglect: specificity of effects on adolescent and young adult depression and suicidality. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 38, 1490–1496.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cook, A., Spinazzola, J., Ford, J., Lanktree, C., Blaustein, M., Cloitre, M., & Kolk, B. (2005). Complex trauma in children and adolescents. Psychiatric Annals, 35(5), 390–398.

    Google Scholar 

  • De Bellis, M., & Thomas, L. (2003). Biologic findings of post-traumatic stress disorder and child maltreatment. Current Psychiatry Reports, 5, 108–117.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dombeck, M. (2005, October 24) Group and individual therapy formats for alcohol and substance abuse. Retrieved from http://www.mentalhelp.net/poc/view_doc.php?type=doc&id=8094&cn=14

  • Dube, S., Anda, R. F., Whitfield, C. L., Brown, D. W., Felitti, V. J., Dong, M., & Giles, W. H. (2005). Long term consequences of childhood sexual abuse by gender of victim. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 28, 430–438.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Espelage, D. L., Pigott, T. D., & Polanin, J. R. (2012). A meta-analysis of school-based bullying prevention programs’ effects on bystander intervention behavior. School Psychology Review, 41(1), 47–65.

    Google Scholar 

  • Felitti, V. J. (2002). The relationship of adverse childhood experiences to adult health: turning gold into lead. Zeitschrift für Psychosomatische Medizin und Psychotherapie, 48, 359–369.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Finkelman, B. (1995). Introduction. Child abuse: A multidisciplinary survey. New York: Garland.

    Google Scholar 

  • Flaherty, E. G., Thompson, R., Litrownik, A. J., Theodore, A., English, D. J., Black, M. M., & Dubowitz, H. (2006). Effect of early childhood adversity on health. Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, 160, 1232–1238.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fontana, V. J. (1984). The maltreatment syndrome of children. Pediatric Annals, 13, 736–744.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ghai, O. P., Gupta, P., & Paul, V. K. (2005). Promoting adolescent health. In O. P. Ghai, P. Gupta, & V. K. Paul (Eds.), Essential pediatrics (6th ed., pp. 78–81). New Delhi: CBS Publishers & Distributors.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hadi, A. (2000). Child abuse among working children in rural Bangladesh: prevalence and determinants. Public Health, 114, 380–384.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hunter, W. M., Jain, D., Sadowski, L. S., & Sanhueza, A. I. (2000). Risk factors for severe child discipline practices in rural India. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 25, 435–447.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Iannelli, V. (2007). Long-term consequences of child abuse and neglect. Child Abuse Basics. Retrieved from http://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/factsheets/long_term_consequences.cfmIdsoe.

  • Idsoe, T., Dyregrov, A., Idsoe, E. C. (2012). Bullying and PTSD symptoms. Journal of Abnormal Clinical Psychology, 40, 901–911.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kelley, B. T., Thornberry, T. P., & Smith, C. A. (1997). In the wake of childhood maltreatment. Washington: National Institute of Justice.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kroll, B. (2004). Living with an elephant: growing up with parental substance misuse. Child and Family Social Work, 9, 129–140.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kumar, N., Shekhar, C., Kumar, P., & Kundu, A. S. (2007). Kuppuswamy’s socioeconomic status scale-updating for 2007. Indian Journal of Pediatrics, 74, 1131–1132.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Leeb, R. T., Paulozzi, L. J., Melanson, C., Simon, T. R., & Arias, I. (2008). Child maltreatment surveillance: Uniform definitions for public health and recommended data elements. V.1. Atlanta: National Center for Injury Prevention and Control Publication.

    Google Scholar 

  • Leung, A. K., & Robson, W. L. (1991). Sibling rivalry. Clinical Pediatrics, 30, 314–317.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India (MoWCD, GOI; 2007). Study on child abuse: India 2007. New Delhi: Ministry of Women and Child Development. Retrieved from wcd.nic.in/childabuse.pdf

  • Mullen, P. E., Martin, J. L., Anderson, J. C., Romans, S. E., & Herbison, G. P. (1996). The long-term impact of the physical, emotional, and sexual abuse of children: a community study. Child Abuse & Neglect, 20, 7–21.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Perrin, S., Smith, P., & Yule, W. (2000). Practioner review: the assessment and treatment of Post-traumatic stress disorder in children and adolescents. Journal of Clinical Psychology and Psychiatry, 41, 3,277–289.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ross, S. (1996). Risk of physical abuse to children of spouse abusing parents. Child Abuse & Neglect, 20, 589.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sawicki, J. A. (1997). Sibling rivalry and the new baby: anticipatory guidance and management strategies. Pediatric Nursing, 23, 298–302.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sidhartha, T., & Jena, S. (2006). Suicidal behaviors in adolescents. Indian Journal of Pediatrics, 73, 783–788.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Silverman, A. B., Reinherz, H. Z., & Giaconia, R. M. (1996). The long-term sequelae of child and adolescent abuse: a longitudinal community study. Child Abuse and Neglect, 20, 709–723.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Verma, M. (2000). Adolescent care and family life education. In A. Parthasarathy, P. S. N. Menon, & M. K. C. Nair (Eds.), IAP textbook of pediatrics (1st ed., p. 685). New Delhi: Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers (P) Ltd.

    Google Scholar 

  • Watts-English, T., Fortson, B. L., Gibler, N., Hooper, S. R., & De Bellis, M. (2006). The psychobiology of maltreatment in childhood. Journal of Social Sciences, 62, 717–736.

    Google Scholar 

  • West, M., & Prinz, R. (1987). Parental alcoholism and childhood psychopathology. Psychological Bulletin, 102, 204–218.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wiehe, V. R. (2002). What parents need to know about sibling abuse: Breaking the cycle of violence. Springville: Bonneville Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • World Health Organization (1999, April 8). Press release WHO/20. WHO recognizes child abuse as a major public health problem. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/inf-pr-1999/en/pr99-20.html

  • World Health Organization. (2001). Prevention of child abuse and neglect: Making the links between human rights and public health. Geneva: World Health Organization.

    Google Scholar 

  • World Health Organization. (2004). Managing child abuse. Handbook for medical officers. New Delhi: World Health Organization, Regional Office for South-East Asia.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Burdwan Medical College and Hospital, Burdwan, India

    Indranil Saha

  2. Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education & Research, Kolkata, India

    Bobby Paul

  3. North Bengal Medical College and Hospital, Siliguri, India

    Dilip Kumar Das

  4. Society for People’s Awareness (SPAN), Kolkata, India

    Joydeb Dinda

  5. R. G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata, India

    Abhijit Mukherjee

  6. Latrobe Regional Hospital, Traralgon, Australia

    Soumya Basu

  7. P-19, Jadavpur University Employees’ Housing Co-operative Society Ltd., P.O. Panchasayar, Kolkata, West Bengal, 700094, India

    Indranil Saha

Authors
  1. Indranil Saha
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Bobby Paul
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Dilip Kumar Das
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Joydeb Dinda
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Abhijit Mukherjee
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Soumya Basu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Indranil Saha.

Additional information

Author Note

Indranil Saha, Assistant Professor, Community Medicine, Burdwan Medical College and Hospital, Burdwan, West Bengal, India; Bobby Paul, Assistant Professor, Community Medicine, Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education & Research, Kolkata, West Bengal, India; Dilip Kumar Das, Professor, Community Medicine, North Bengal Medical College and Hospital, Siliguri, West Bengal, India; Joydeb Dinda, Social Activist and Health Coordinator, Society for People’s Awareness (SPAN), Non-Governmental Organization, Kolkata, West Bengal; Abhijit Mukherjee, Post Graduate Trainee, Community Medicine, R. G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal; Soumya Basu, Consultant Child and Youth Psychiatrist, Latrobe Regional Hospital, Australia; Senior Lecturer, Dept of Psychiatry and Psychology, Monash University, Victoria, Australia.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Saha, I., Paul, B., Das, D.K. et al. Repeated Abuse during Childhood and Adolescence Leading to Suicidal Behavior in an Adolescent: A Case Report. J Fam Viol 28, 213–217 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-012-9481-x

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-012-9481-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation