1 Early Intervention of Child Abuse: An Intra Familial

Early Intervention of Child Abuse: An Intra Familial-Approach MIMI FITRIANA ZAINI Institute of Education International Islamic University Malaysia [email protected] ZULFAN HAIDAR Institute of Education International Islamic University Malaysia [email protected]

Abstract The current study investigates the need of intra-familial intervention on children abuse from the parents’ perspective. The current study exposes some scientific evidences while presenting some observable facts of abusive characters among parents towards their children. The fact that family plays big roles in forming children’s characters is also discussed here. The current research particularly presents the phenomenon of child abuse within family setting as the results of lacking intra-familial relations. This technical and qualitative research paper emphasizes on the paramount importance of the need of early intervention of abuse from the family intervention. The consequences of familial abusive can be early identified and intervened with three ways; 1) intra-familial communication, 2) intrafamilial interaction, 3) intra-familial attachment. The facts of behavioral consequences of abuse towards children are also included to present the detrimental impacts of lacking intra-familial interventions. The current study also highlights the previous research findings on various issues pertaining to children abuse as reference. A sample of two parents was selected randomly for the purpose of the study. A semi-structured interview was conducted to the parents to gain their insight perception on the importance of intra-familial intervention on children abuse. It was found that; 1) parents perceive intra-familial intervention as crucially important, 2) parents perceive of intra-familial communication and interaction as significant to prevent misunderstanding among family members especially to create a sense of belongingness in each other, 3) parents also perceive intra-familial relation is essentially important to develop children’s attitude and to shape their behavior, 4) parents perceive intra-familial intervention is an important early intervention creating attachment in the family to prevent abusive patterns of behavior from parents as well as among siblings towards young children at home. Keywords: Early intervention, Children abuse, Intra-familial relations, Attachment.

INTRODUCTION Child abuse is a psychologically complex and a socially disturbing phenomenon. It is deeply rooted in the social system and is consciously or unconsciously being experienced by the whole society. At times, the phenomenon becomes so tragic, that it affects the life of the entire family and even of the community at the same time. Children indeed are vulnerable since birth (Chand, 2002). Because of their vulnerability, they are often subjected to various abuses either from their own family, or their friends, or neighbors or caretakers. Studies indicate that 25 to 50 percent of children around the world suffer from physical abuse, and that around 20 percent of girld and 5 to 10 percent of boys experience sexual abuse. There are substantial consequences not only for the affected persons, but also for the society as a whole and these can no longer be ignored (World Health Organization, 2012).

Mimi Fitriana Zaini | Early Intervention of Child Abuse: An Intra-Familial Approach | International Social Development Conference(ISDC) Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) | Bayview Hotel Langkawi Island, August 12 – 13, 2014

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Researches in the field of child psychology have earlier shown detrimental results on the increasing violence among children in modern society and unfortunately, such violence comes from within their own family members (Chand, 2002; Duffy & Wong, 1996; Karim, 1993). Mental health and health professionals in their researches have recognized the tragic picture of child abuse and its tremendous impact on the lives of both parents and the children involved. The impact of maltreatment during childhood is damaging the child’s life and the life during adulthood. Childhood maltreatment could lead to post-traumatic stress, cognitive distortion, altered emotion, dissociation, impaired selfreference, disturbed relatedness and avoidance (Briere, 1992). Violence in the family certainly leads to the increased level of various psycho-familial and behavioral problems. Such behaviors as children’s aggressiveness, sibling violence, parental marital conflict and family depression have a negative impact on the development of healthy family life which leads to unhealthy family functioning. Further, the impact of abuse on the children becomes visible in physical, emotional and intellectual impairment in later life (Vetlkamp & Miller, 1994). Islam strongly put the responsibility of parents and family as vital for the children for they are the amanah from Allah. Allah has given parents the trust (amanah) to raise and educate children, to treat them well, as personal and religious imperative. Conversely, treating them badly and abusively is indeed a great sin for it violates the very basic of Islamic fundamental teachings and laws. Parental abusive behaviors may also lead to death in some extreme cases. Further, the family should also permanently stick to Allah’s revealed guidance and ask His mercy through constant prayers that the prophet Muhammad (SAW) used to recite (Surah al-Furqaan 25:74). Allah (SWT) has instilled in all human beings the innate instinct o their offspring and protect them from any treats. Allah warns human beings that their properties and children were trials for them (Surah al-Anfal 8:28, Surah at-Taghabun 64:15). This means that properties and children are trust from Allah by which Allah wants to try the believers to see how they behave and treat His trust (Surah alMumtahanah 60:8-9, and12). Child Abuse; A Nutshell The phenomenon of child abuse has been studied as early as 1860’s by a forensic pathologist in France, Dr. Tardieu, who documented thirty-two incidents of children who had died as a result of battering (Wallace, 1999). In 1870’s, many disciplines defined it as a social problem; they discussed the problem and protected the abused children under the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Winton & Mara, 2001). Such a case of Mary Ellen, who was beaten by her foster parents and was only given the protection once the court ruled that she was a member of the animal kingdom, was given protection under the Cruelty to Animals Act in 1874. This led to the emergence of a society for the Protection of Cruelty to Children, which sprung up in the United States (Oates, 1993). However, in 1946, a radiologist, Dr. Caffey, reported a study involving six children who had suffered injuries in the brain due to harsh physical abuse by the parent (Kempe et al., 1962). In the 1960s by the efforts of a physician, Dr. Kempe, the term battered child syndrome was termed to the public in which society began to accept the fact that parents, caretakers and siblings, in fact, were involved in the battering of young children. From the history of battered child syndrome, the definitions of child maltreatment has been variety. Earlier, The Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act of 1974 expanded the definition of child abuse to encompass emotional injury, neglect, parental deprivation of medical services, infectors deleterious to children moral development (Ciccheti & Carlson, 1989). This prudent definition of child abuse contributes to the belief that not all abusive parents or child caretakers set out with the intention to destroy helpless children. Increasingly broader social factors such as societal attitude were implicated as playing casual role in child maltreatment (Garbarino & Sherman, 1989). The most professionals of child abuse, however, share a common understanding of what constitutes child abuse.


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The current definition of child abuse is the mistreatment of a child or a disregard for the developmental needs of a child by guardian, or care giver resulting in injury, emotional, psychological harm or the potential of such harm (Wallace, 1999). In 1999, the WHO Consultation on Child Abuse Prevention drafted the following definition ‘‘Child abuse or maltreatment constitutes all forms of physical and/or emotional ill-treatment, sexual abuse, neglect or negligent treatment or commercial or other exploitations, resulting in actual or potential harms in the child’s health, survival, development or dignity in the context of a relationship of responsibility, trust or power (WHO, 1999 pg.9). Shaffer (2002) added that child abuse can be referred to as any extreme maltreatment to children, involving physical battering, sexual molestation, psychological insults such as persistent, ridicule, rejection, and terrorization, and physical or emotional neglect. Reports on Child Abuse During 1990s, many works had been done examining actual reports of child abuse and neglect that had implication on those who had described it and labeled it as a social problem. The American Society for Protecting Children (1986) documented about 1,727,000 reports of suspected child abuse in 1984. Forty two percent of these reports were substantiated. A National Survey reported that 10.7 percent of parents admitted to having perpetrated a ‘severe violent act’ against their child in the previous year (Strauss & Gelles, 1986). The Incidents of child maltreatment are increasingly high in its consecutive years up to the present times. In 1997, the National Committee to Prevent Child Abuse (NCPCA) released its annual report of the rate of children abused. The NCPCA released its report on abuse that there were 31,266,00 children reported to Child Protective Service (CPS) agencies as suspected victims of child abuse (Wallace, 1999). The most common form of maltreatment was neglect with 62%, followed by physical abuse 25%, sexual abuse 7%, emotional abuse 3% and other forms of abuse 4% (NCPCA, 1997). In Malaysia, The phenomenon of child abuse in Malaysia has awakened public and professional awareness since the death of physically abused 17-month-old Norshafiqah Maswari in 1989 (Zaleha, 2000). Following that tragedy, researchers began to focus on the issue of child maltreatment and perceived it as a serious social problem. According to Zaleha (2000) In Malaysia, the case of child abuse keeps on increasing from 72 cases in 1985 to 1, 117 cases in 1995. The case became dramatically rising again from 7074 in 1996 to over 9027 in 1997 and reaching to 2, 287 cases in this current time as reported by the Department of Social Welfare in Malaysia in its 2007. Report in different years about cases of child abuse indicate the highly increased numbers of the case every year. Statistical report from the Social Welfare Department (2009) revealed that child abuse cases were reported mostly in Selangor with 2,656 cases followed by Kuala Lumpur with 1,646 cases and Penang with 709 cases in 2006. In 2008 and 2009, the number of child abuse cases increasingly elevated by different types. It was reported by the Social Welfare Department Malaysia (2009) that Neglect and Abandon reached the most occurrences of cases with 1,010 cases in 2008, followed by physical abuse with 863 cases and sexual abuse with 73 cases as well as emotional abuse with 90 cases as the lowest end. However, this breakdown of cases in Malaysia has been successfully decreased following each type of cases. In 2009, the case of Neglect and Abandon decreases to 439 cases, physical abuse to 313 cases, sexual abuse to 356 cases and emotional abuse declines to 30 cases. Parental Behaviour and Child Abuse Approaches of child maltreatment have well indicated variety of causes that contribute to child abuse. In decades, many researches indicate the important factors contributing to child maltreatment. A teenage parent, for instance, is the highest leading factor to child abuse in America (Duffy & Wong, 1996). In one study, Lee and George (1999) examined poverty and maternal age as strong predictors of all types of maltreatment. They found that economic stress of young mothers has a direct effect to child abuse. Many other studies discuss about the risk factors of child abuse. Wolfe (1999) stated that child maltreatment originated from the defiant parental style of child caretaker, whereby child abuse Mimi Fitriana Zaini | Early Intervention of Child Abuse: An Intra-Familial Approach | International Social Development Conference(ISDC) Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) | Bayview Hotel Langkawi Island, August 12 – 13, 2014

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itself is a deviant act, the perpetrator is more than deviant; a criminal. The National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN, 2009) also stated on the involvement of the child’s immediate source of survival as the main perpetrator; parents or other relatives. The psychopathological assumption of parental behavior includes the practice of corporal punishment among parents to their children, using more extreme behaviors of harsh or inappropriate parental behaviors identified as abusive and destructive (Brad & Vincent, 1999). Further, abusive parents are assumed to have a set of personality or characteristics distinct from other parents, such as the increase of likelihood of parental aggression, using harsh parenting style (Henderson, 1991). Researches indicated that some parents with mental illness are more often to use abusive behavior as compared to parents without any mental disorders (Kasmini, 1993; Kawalramani, 1992; Winton & Mara, 2001). Many abusers are categorized by higher percentage of neurotic than psychotic disorders which is indicated by 48% parental neurotic behavior and 76 abnormal personality which leads to a high rate of behavioral social deviance (Kasmini, 1993). Other causes of child maltreatment may be the results of severe emotional pressure, psychopathology or family stress, family violence, poverty, unemployment of parents and lack of financial support (Susan, Honore & Dauglas, 2000). When parents experience a crisis of un- met needs, they do not fulfill the dire needs either in their marital relationship or their relationship with children, Therefore, psychological frustration and anger may lead to an emotional crisis and possible abuse of children. Accordingly, the ultimate goal of intervention is to stop child maltreatment before it starts. Thus, early identification of child maltreatment is critical to the well-being of children and their families. The role of family functioning in the assessment and intervention of child maltreatment can serve as a buffer against child abuse within the family context (Ismail & Suffla, 2012). Further, Ismail and Suffla (2012) stated that effective prevention rograms support parents or caretakers and promotr positive parenting skills which include effective communication, frequent interaction, appropriate discipline and responding to te child’s physical and emotional needs. They further argued that ongoing care of children and families can provide the impetus to firstly reduce the risk of maltreatment frpm persisiting and strengthen the protective factors. Secondly. It prevents the occurence of new instances of maltreatment. More importantly, in Islam, as children grow to become matured adults, it is importance for parents to be aware of their surrounding too for it gives such a powerful influence to their development. Therefore, parents must instill the Islamic values from the very beginning of their children’s life then when it becomes strong, any unhealthy and destructive influences could be prevented. A socially and healthy community is another agent to help children strengthening their characters. Intra-Familial Relations and Child Abuse Meanwhile, Child maltreatment is also a product of family dysfunction and disharmony. The occurrence of child abuse is the results of miscommunication, ineffective functioning, selfinsufficiency and lack of empowerment as well as irresponsibility of each family member over the entire family. This appears as the results of parental stress in the family life, while the use of strict disciplinary regulations at home is another contributing variable in the abusive pattern of a family (Wallace, 1999; Berk, 2000). Family contributes to the maintenance of society by serving as agent in which children are loved, protected and encouraged to develop into competent and caring adult. A study done by Garbarino and Kostelny (1992) found that high-risk locations were characterized by a lack of community identity. This indicates that abuse is not necessarily a sign of an individual or family in trouble but rather a sign of trouble in community. Zalba (1967) has long analysed that the abusive phenomenon is due to famuly and family environmental causes. Abusive parents are not only impulsive but also are having identity ot role crisis. This Interactional model has long identified that abuse is the result of dysfunctional family system (Walace, 1999). Diﬃculties which create dysfunction family system may Mimi Fitriana Zaini | Early Intervention of Child Abuse: An Intra-Familial Approach | International Social Development Conference(ISDC) Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) | Bayview Hotel Langkawi Island, August 12 – 13, 2014

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include parental learning disability, poor mental and physical health, domestic violence, severe alcohol problems, drug abuse, poor housing, long term unemployment, and financial and social incompetence (Clever, Unell, Aldgate, 2011). Garbarino and Sherman (1990) characterized the family as the basic unit of human experineces. Families contribute to the maintainance of society by serving as contexts in which children are loved, protected and encouraged to develop into competent, caring adult (Berk, 2000). Family functioning is one of the roots of children’s development and personality make-up. Family relationship can be the greates source of nurturance ad support, but adversely, it can become a powerful source of anguish that might lead to child abuse. Many researches showed that a healthy and well functioning family life nurtures the development of children (Berk, 2000; Ellason & Ross, 1997; Scerbo & Kolko, 1995). Accordingly, the well functioning family is the backbone of a harmonius family life. Caldwell and Bradley (1984) have also long indentified two important climates of family environment that children need most. First, family environment ensures gratificationof all basic physical needs and careful provisions for health and safety. Second, family setting fosters high frequency of adults context, positive emotional climate and higher physical, verbal and enotional responses to appropriate value behavior of children. However, inefectual family relationship, communication breakdown, ignorance of each other’s role are the signs of chaos and fall of the family. The insidious problems will ultimately lead to victimize the children as the result of stressful family environemnt (Spatz, 2000). Straus, Galles and Steinmetz (1988) has also long identified the role of family in occurence of child abuse. He stated that structure and function of the family are grouped as control and no single factor can explain the absence of abuse except family functioning. Which can be identified in a dyadic relationship where its members are active and interactive with each other. Intra-familial communication is perceived as a strong link between harmonious family and characters development of its members (Reder, Duncan & Gray, 1993). More specifically, Islam identifies family as critically essential unit for children’s upbringing. The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) says: “the best among you is the best to his family and I am the best among you to my family, and the most perfect believers are the best in conducts”. The prophet (SAW) reminds every Muslim family to be kind and loving to their family especially to their children. Such Islamically good attitude is associated with Iman and those who fulfill prophetic invitation are regarded as true believers thus spiritually elevated. The prophet (SAW) has exemplified a spiritually good treatment towards children. In the prophet’s (SAW) Hadith, narrated by Usama ibn Zaid, it is mentioned that the prophet (SAW) used to take up Usama and Hassa in his lap and invokes Allah (SWT); “O Allah! Love them as I love them”. Meanwhile the family in Islam also significantly occupies a special place. It is an essential cell in society where all basic and fundamental knowledge, learning and virtues about life begin and are nurtured. The well-being of the family significantly influences the well-being of its member. Thus Islam gives great importance to the family; from a good nurtured family comes good nurtured children, from a well nurtured family prevails the spirit of love, bliss and harmony (Hammad, 1997). Therefore, the family must consistently works with sincerity to contribute to the well being of happiness of all its members; in this regard, parents are the most influential figures and profiles for the family members (Surah al-Maidah 5:2). METHODOLOGY Research Method The study was conducted at the researcher’s immediate environment, the neighbourhood. The researcher aimed at finding the explanation and observable facts of the needs to early interventions to help the young children experience no abusive pattern of behaviours within their family setting. . As it was reportedly evidence of the numbers of child abuse cases worldwide, the research was expected to Mimi Fitriana Zaini | Early Intervention of Child Abuse: An Intra-Familial Approach | International Social Development Conference(ISDC) Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) | Bayview Hotel Langkawi Island, August 12 – 13, 2014

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gain its remarkable answers for the problem of early intervention at home of to prevent abuse. The importance of the function within family setting encourages positive atmosphere at home. Abuse migh occur because of lacking comminucation, family interaction and bonding at home. Strategies should be developed as to improve the dyadic function within the family. The current study therefore is a qualitative research in nature to analyse the perception of parents early protective strategies on abusive pattern of behaviour occurred within the family setting by the effective use of intra-familial approaches. This is a case study research design with only two parents involved in the present research. Research Sample The current research focused on the parents’ perception on the need of early intervention of the intrafamilial approaches on children abuse. Parents could express their ideas on what should be the measure of intervention. There are different types of measures involved to immediate intervention towards the abusive tendency in the family. Parents are the immediate figure in the family environment. Parents are the child immediate needs’ provider at home. Therefore, taking parents as informants for this purpose is significant. The current study selected the sample based on the researcher’s immediate environment and friendship. The informant was a mother with three children whose hectic schedule is observed. The other informant is a father of four children whose appearance at home is hardly detected due to business schedule. Both informants are randomly taken from a selective population within one setting. These sample are among those responsible community members. However, little was known to these parents on what intervention from the perspective of intra-familial relation is about and on what measure they can ensure that abuse does not occur within the family and community. The current study is obviously subjective in its nature whereby the study’s focus is on the perception of parents towards the need of intra-familial approaches on abuse. Perception per se involves degree of self-understanding and deep self-evaluation from the genuine informant. Interview is considered as one of the remarkable methods in qualitative research to bring the personal insight into an explainable expression assessed through the flow of conversation between researcher and the informant. Central Research Question and Research Questions There were three research questions under one central research question which became the focus of concern in the current study. The central research question was the main question to the problem being researched which was “How are early interventions of child abuse important and useful in the context of intra-familial approaches, from the parents’ perceptive?” This addressed the perception of the parents on the need to identify early problems within a family to avoid abuse. The research questions were specifically focused on the importance of intervention as well as the challenges and strategies developed by parents to help intra-familial relation maintained. The research questions for the current study were: 1. Question One (How do parents perceive of the importance of early intervention of child abuse at home? This addressed some points of elaboration on; i) The need of early identification of problems within the family setting is important. This is for the early preparation and developing intra-familial relation among the family members. ii) How the early intervention is important to support parents develop strategies of communication, interaction and attachment in the family.. 2. Question Two (How do parents perceive of the usefulness of early intervention of child abuse at home? This question points the following issues: i) Intra-familial relations are useful to strenghten communication, interaction and bonding. . Mimi Fitriana Zaini | Early Intervention of Child Abuse: An Intra-Familial Approach | International Social Development Conference(ISDC) Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) | Bayview Hotel Langkawi Island, August 12 – 13, 2014

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ii) The perception of parents of this early intervention is also useful to help develop the child phychologically, emotionally, socially and spiritually. iii) This early intervention is useful for parents to develop community awareness of child abuse within the social setting. 3. Question Three (What challenges and helping strategies do parents have in order to help intrafamilial approaches excecuted among the family members? It examines the following points; i) The challenges that parents face from the characters of their children and their own fluctuate emotional expression. ii) Parents’ feeling of efficacy to help providing supports for family problems arisen. iii) Other helping strategies that have been implemented by the parents at home. iv) The outcome of these helping strategies by the parents as successful to overcome family abuse. Research Procedure Since the current study focused on the parents’ perception of the need of intra-familial approaches on child abuse, it concerned on parents’ own insight and it involved their willingness to be taken as sample for the purpose of study. For its first step, the permission was gained from the parents for the interview session. The selection of sample was done afterward which was based on the rationales stated. The inform consent, briefing informants about the place, the nature of the research, the aim of the current study, the issue of child abuse and the flow of interview session was applied. Informants’ availability for interview was schedule and granted. During the session, permission to use the USB was taken, the confidentiality of information was informed and the usefulness of the research was briefed. Data were gathered through the interview sessions, transcribed and coded to produce the themes from the research questions. Note taking was another salient key to produce observational data during the interview session to help achieve the aims of research.

RESULTS Research Analysis The aim of the current study, findings parents’ perception of the need of early intervention of child abuse, was highlighted. The current study also aimed at looking into parents’ perception of the important intra-familial relation as well as the challenges and strategies produced to help maintain the family relationship. Central research question was set up with careful observation of the problem being focused and studied. \The themes generated from the first research questions were gained from its three sub-questions. These themes were gained through the collection of the informant’ information, after being coded by the researcher. The first sub research research questions are: (1) How do you explain intervention of abuse in the family? (2) How is intervention important? (3) In what ways do you identify family problem is abusive? (4) How do you measure intra-familial interventions in the family? There were several themes derived from the first sub research question showed in table 1. The results of the first research questions interventions are highly important to eliminate the tendency of abuse in the family. Family attachment, Parental behaviour and attitude, Family interaction and Family communicationare the identified intra-familial interventions which can be used by parents and other members to overcome abuse. These interventions are the measures of success in the structure and function of the family. There were certain patterns of aggressive behaviour identifed as abusive occured in the family context. However, Family problem awareness and Family behavioural improvement are among the early identification and detection of abuse which can be alleviated in the early stage. The results of the first sub-research questions and the second sub-research questions are illustrated in table 1 and table 2. Mimi Fitriana Zaini | Early Intervention of Child Abuse: An Intra-Familial Approach | International Social Development Conference(ISDC) Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) | Bayview Hotel Langkawi Island, August 12 – 13, 2014

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Table 1 Results of the main ideas and themes generated from the first research questions. Research Question Main ideas generated Main themes generated

RQ 1

Parents’ continuous encouragement Parents’ personality and characters Family understanding Family bonding Parents’ good attitude Siblings relationship Strengthening family relationships Good communication Sibling mutual understanding Control anger and emotions Detection early family problem Abusive is inhumane Avoiding parental abusive behaviours Declining sibling frequent fight/disagreement Parental conflict Parental corporal punishment lacking communication and interaction Success and failure of the family communication, interaction and bonding

Family Attachment

Parental behaviour and attitude

Family interaction

Family communication

Family problem awareness

Family behavioural improvement

(Color Coding; main aideas and main themes generated, some might be interpreted inter-relatedly)

Table 2 Results of the main ideas and themes generated from the second research questions. Research Question Main ideas generated Main themes generated Parents readiness Family support and Members assurance on each other maintenance Family focus treatment Early communication development Initial attention Community readiness Family strength and protection Information to the society Knowledge and experiences Community interaction Showing independency and selfCommunity awareness understanding Self-confident and motivation Good communication and interaction at home Emotional development Good social interaction RQ 2 Involvement in social activities Peer relationships Family acceptance and joy Social development Showing optimism and happiness in the family Respect from the community Family belongingness Psychological development Family ambiance Initiating family interaction Bonding community Showing good manners Spiritual development Respecting cultural norms and traditions Performing good faith (Color Coding; main aideas and main themes generated, some might be interpreted inter-relatedly) Mimi Fitriana Zaini | Early Intervention of Child Abuse: An Intra-Familial Approach | International Social Development Conference(ISDC) Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) | Bayview Hotel Langkawi Island, August 12 – 13, 2014

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The second sub research questions are (1) How do you explain that intra-familial interventions are useful? (2) How do interventions help reduce abusive pattern in the family? (3) How do interventions help develop the child phychologically, emotionally, socially and spiritually? These questions produce themes which revealed the use of early interventions from parents perspective. The early intervention is very useful not only for the family purposes but also the community at large. The use of early interventions within family setting is to involve parents and other faily members as well as the society to build awareness not only among the members of the family but also the members of the community. Child abuse occurs in its own immediate surrounding and early awareness should be established. Table 2 explains the main ideas and the main themes which are derived from the research questions that the use of interventions is to establish family support and maintenance, to elevate family strenght and protection and to increase community awareness in the early stage. These strategies help to reduce the tendency of abusive pattents of behaviour to occur within the child’s immidiate settings. Both family awareness as well as community awareness are the two highly essential elements to elliminate abuse. The importance of understanding the nature of family behaviours, family conflict, parental confilict and family disharmony to decrease family negative emotion and non-normative family climate should significantly collaborate among the members. These system and function of intrafamilial relations increases significant contribution to the children’s emotional, social, psychological and spiritual development. Family development such as increased optimism and happiness in the family, good peer relation and community’s pride and rrspect, independency, self-understanding, self-confidence and motivation as well as good manners, performing good faith and respecting norms and culture leads to increased family and community functioning. The entire function and structure of the family is the the sign of a healthy family functioning with interaction, communication and attachment among each member and these intra-familial interventions occur with not only support and commitment but also with continuous implementation. This indicates the family functioning lies among the members. Furthermore, the results from the the third sub research questions presents significants interconnectedness of the approaches which can be maintained and increased by the family members and community. The questions included here are (1) Do you think intra-familial approaches are interconnected? (2) What do you think the strategies to maintain intra-familial approaches? (3) Beside the three intra-familial approaches, what else do you think might be the interventions? (4) What do you think the outcomes of these strategies on the family members? These research questions results in main ideas and themes generated as presented in table 3. Results of the main ideas and main themes for the research question 3 clearly showed that intrafamilial intervention are inter-connected. This is shown in its link of harmonious family theme which indicates elements of a so-called harmonious family lie in its family communication, interaction and strong bonding among the members. These inter-linked relations are the basic requirement where parents as the sole and immideate’s child provider gratify the family needs with good intra-familial relations despite of their hectic and determined routines in work and others. They also act as health and care provider within the family as basic needs which require attention, love, care and affection towards their children. Therefore, the strategies to maintain the family interventions could be gained through the frequency of mutual contact, interaction and communication as well as creating a positive emotional climate within the family. These strategies are not confined by the limited interventions only, but these are also added to the success of interventions implemented continously by parents and other family members. The function and structure of the family remain as among other significant roles to create a positive emotional climate within a family. Besides family function whose responsibility shared by each members to support and elevate the link of harmonious family system while focusing the family structure itself for the line of respect and family pride. These strategies help increase intra-familial relations and help deacrease family Mimi Fitriana Zaini | Early Intervention of Child Abuse: An Intra-Familial Approach | International Social Development Conference(ISDC) Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) | Bayview Hotel Langkawi Island, August 12 – 13, 2014

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problems. Therefore, abusive patterns of behaviour are not meant to occur in a good and harmonious family. Table 3 Results of the main ideas and themes generated from the third research questions. Research Question Main ideas generated Main themes generated

RQ 3

No communication breakdown Family communication and interaction Family relationship management Attachment and communication prevails good relationship Good relationship among members Gratification of family needs Provision for health and care High contact with parents and other siblings The function of family Function of system in interaction and communication High bonding capacity Frequency of family meeting and discussion Join activities in the community Peers involvement in the society Family control over the negative emotion and non-normative family

Link of harmonious family

Basic requirement

Frequency of mutual contact

Positive emotional climate

Function and System

Community support

(Color Coding; main aideas and main themes generated, some might be interpreted inter-relatedly)

DISCUSSION, IMPLICATION AND SUGGESTION The results of the current study were remarkably produced by the main ideas and themes generated from the three research questions. The themes generated from the first research questions were gained from its three supporting questions. These themes were gained through the collection of two informants’ information after being coded by the researcher. The themes generated from the first subquestions were Family Attachment, Parental behaviour and attitude, Family interaction, Family communication, Family problem awareness and Family behavioural improvement The first research question resulted in some identification of needs of intervention on abuse. Through the interview session, parents indeed expressed their understanding on the important needs of intrafamilial relations. They could identify some interventions based on their knowledge and experience on the intra-familial approaches towards establishing a harnonious family life. The results show that family functioning occupies the harmonious family life (Berk, 2000). The interventions are somehow show that family needs the immediate support from the first responsible agents; parents. Researches earlier indicated that parental behaviour and attitude highly contribute to the family functioning; system and structure (Kasmini, 1993; Kawalramani, 1992; Winton & Mara, 2001). Accordingly, child maltreatment may be the results of severe emotional pressure, psychopathology or family stress, family violence, poverty, unemployment of parents and lack of financial support (Susan, Honore & Dauglas, 2000). Parents are the immediate source of that disruptive phenomenon in the family; abuse. Mimi Fitriana Zaini | Early Intervention of Child Abuse: An Intra-Familial Approach | International Social Development Conference(ISDC) Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) | Bayview Hotel Langkawi Island, August 12 – 13, 2014

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Furthermore, the results of the second research questions also confirmed the previous researches’ finding in which express the usefulness of intra-familial relations within a family. Family support and maintenance, family strenghts and protection, and other developmental remarks confirmed the early researches on the importance and usefulness of the family interventions on child abuse. Many researches showed that a healthy and well functioning family life nurtures the development of children (Berk, 2000; Ellason & Ross, 1997; Scerbo & Kolko, 1995). Accordingly, the well functioning family is the backbone of a harmonius family life. The use of interventions is to establish family support and maintenance, to elevate family strenght and protection and to increase community awareness in the early stage. These strategies help to reduce the tendency of abusive pattents of behaviour to occur within the child’s immidiate settings. Both family awareness as well as community awareness are the two highly essential elements to elliminate abuse. The importance of understanding the nature of family behaviours, family conflict, parental confilict and family disharmony to decrease family negative emotion and non-normative family climate should significantly collaborate among the members. These system and function of intra-familial relations increases significant contribution to the children’s emotional, social, psychological and spiritual development. Family development such as increased optimism and happiness in the family, good peer relation and community’s pride and respect, independency, self-understanding, self-confidence and motivation as well as good manners, performing good faith and respecting norms and culture leads to increased family and community functioning. The entire function and structure of the family is the the sign of a healthy family functioning with interaction, communication and attachment among each member and these intra-familial interventions occur with not only support and commitment but also with continuous implementation. The results of the present studies imply some remarkable contribution of how family plays a handful of roles in its sustainance and maintenance. Garbarino and Sherman (1990) earlier characterized the family as the basic unit of human experineces. Families contribute to the maintainance of society by serving as contexts in which children are loved, protected and encouraged to develop into competent, caring adult (Berk, 2000). Family functioning is one of the roots of children’s development and personality make-up. Family relationship can be the greates source of nurturance ad support, but adversely, it can become a powerful source of anguish that might lead to child abuse. Many researches showed that a healthy and well functioning family life nurtures the development of children (Berk, 2000; Ellason & Ross, 1997; Scerbo & Kolko, 1995). Accordingly, the well functioning family is the backbone of a harmonius family life. Moreover, Galles (1987) has also long identified the role of family in occurence of child abuse. He stated that structure and function of the family are grouped as control and no single factor can explain the absence of abuse except family functioning. Which can be identified in a dyadic relationship where its members are active and interactive with each other. Intra-familial communication is perceived as a strong link between harmonious family and characters development of its members (Reder, Duncan & Gray, 1993). The current study presents the important role and responsibility of each member of the familywhich collaborate the family functioning. Intra-familial relations are the mutual interaction, communication and strong bonding in the family which creates sustainant family atmosphere. Abusive patterns in the family will definetely not occur with a srtong establishment of family functioning. Therefore, the current study shows its capacity of determining family functioning as an intervention on children abuse. The present study shows strong evidence of how the results produced by the parents’ perspective, the immediate source of children health, care, love and affection provider at home. However, the study does not perfectly show details of what should be measured from the parents’ perspective. It has few questions which are not perfectly validated. Although its reliability focuses on the inter-rater’s feedback of the respondents’ information by calculating the agreement of the author as well as the Mimi Fitriana Zaini | Early Intervention of Child Abuse: An Intra-Familial Approach | International Social Development Conference(ISDC) Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) | Bayview Hotel Langkawi Island, August 12 – 13, 2014

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raters, the present study is still lacking in its presentation on the quality questions being researched and interviewed. Future researches in the field of child abuse could further elaborate intra-familial relations and child abuse phenomenon in detail manners. Other can demonstrate the parental behaviour and abuse as well as the community services on the abused children. Other studies could also discuss on the importance of culture or differences of race among people of abuse.

CONCLUSION In conclusion, early detection of abuse can be revealed from the family intervention. Abuse can be identified from aggressiveness of behaviour from adult to the young ones. Abuse can also be identified from the harsh words or corporal punishment from parents to the children. Abuse can also be identified from the different family discrepancies occur in the family due to misscommunication, lack of interation as well as no family attachment. Accordingly, the ultimate goal of intervention is to stop child maltreatment before it starts. Thus, early identification of child maltreatment is critical to the well-being of children and their families. The role of family functioning in the assessment and intervention of child maltreatment can serve as a buffer against child abuse within the family context (Ismail & Suffla, 2012). As Ismail and Suffla (2012) elaborated above that effective prevention rograms support parents or caretakers and promotr positive parenting skills which include effective communication, frequent interaction, appropriate discipline and responding to te child’s physical and emotional needs. They further argued that ongoing care of children and families can provide the impetus to firstly reduce the risk of maltreatment frpm persisiting and strengthen the protective factors. Secondly. It prevents the occurence of new instances of maltreatment. Therefore, family interventions are crucially important. The elements of intra-familial aproaches are significantly collaborate to create a positive family atmosphere and a good system of family functioning. The current study significantly explains about the important and the usefulness of family interventions in children development. The current study also demonstrates the effectiveness of intrafamilial relations and the strategies to maaintain family functioning. Abusive behavior or abusive acts and words will neve occur within the family settings with a strong intra-familial relation in the family. However, as the child abuse phenomenon is widespread not only within or among the members in the family but also in the community. The penetrators are not only among the family members but also other irresponsible civilians in the community. Threfore, researches on the problem of child abuse and abuse should continue. We hope that the problem of child abuse might decline as the family and social awareness toward the needs and welfare of the children incline.


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