We have learned from experience that the only effective tool we have to combat mental illness is to explore our emotions and come to terms with the truth contained in the unique story of our upbringing. An external locus of control, learned helplessness, and other forms of cognitive vulnerability can arise as a result of adverse early experiences that alter a child’s worldview (Dye, 2018).

A traumatic event is described as an experienced event that makes one feel helpless, terrified, or depressed and that is thought to be a threat to one’s life, health, or other vital organs. Regarding gender, age, race, ethnicity, or sexual orientation, there is no difference in the prevalence of exposure to traumatic events. These feelings may result from more than one exposure event (acute exposure) or from repeated exposure (chronic exposure) (American Psychiatric Association, 2000). According to the American Psychiatric Association (2013), traumatic events include things like abuse, violence, neglect, bereavement, accidents, natural disasters, war, and other emotionally taxing circumstances.

Childhood adversity can negatively affect a child’s or adolescent’s development, with long-term effects that often carry over into adulthood. These effects include personality issues, anxiety, and depression, attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) (Cummings et al., 2012; Dye, 2018; Mandelli et al., 2015). There is also a strong link between cognitive, social, and emotional abilities and a higher risk of chronic illnesses (Dong et al., 2004; Enoch, 2011). Adults who experienced trauma as children are more likely to deal with physical and psychological problems as adults because the negative effects of childhood trauma may persist into adulthood (Edwards et al., 2003).

Child abuse is a widespread social issue where children are mistreated in extremely difficult situations that impede their mental and physical growth. According to Tripathi and Pandey (2018), it is defined as circumstances and human-generated acts of omission or conduct that prevent a child from reaching their full potential. Another word for child abuse is child maltreatment, which encompasses any form of emotional, psychological, physical, or sexual abuse aimed at a child (Bankole & Arowosegbe, 2014). Such abuse in infancy is likely to have long-term effects (Tripathi & Pandey, 2018).

A person’s sense of self-worth and how they perceive themselves and their environment can be significantly impacted by abuse at a developmental stage. Stated differently, a person’s attitude toward themselves, whether positive or negative, and their overall sense of worth are what make up their self-esteem (Karakuş, 2012).

The degree of abuse, the intensity of contact, the use of aggressive behavior, the victim’s age at the time of abuse commencement, and the attacker’s relationship with the victim can all have an impact on the strength of the relationship between child abuse/child sexual abuse and consequences, such as depression (Ventus et al., 2017). Therefore, this scoping review will examine common themes and commonalities in the research to gain a better understanding of the relationship between this abuse and adulthood. Notable deviations and shortcomings discovered in the literature will also be mentioned and looked at. Lastly, this scoping study will examine the topic’s viability and discuss the significance of further research.

Elements that Need to be Considered when Counselling:

Duration of Child Abuse

Extended periods of abusive events over time are linked to abuse-related manifestations (Zink et al., 2009). More specifically, research on psychological issues showed that early childhood abuse was linked to a higher risk of depression in later life (Li et al., 2020). O’Leary et al. (2010), who contend that protracted child abuse is connected to more severe mental health issues, such as depression, in later life, bolster the aforementioned claim.

According to Easton et al. (2019), early environmental stressors may exacerbate a person’s suffering. This would suggest that a major environmental stressor like sexual assault will likely make depression worse. Furthermore, according to Jaffee et al. (2002), earlier onset internalizing and externalizing challenges have been linked to worse outcomes in terms of the trajectory of the problem, recurrence, and therapeutic adaptability. The length of time that child abuse continues is correlated with the severity of adult depression (Easton et al., 2019).

Severity of Child Abuse

O’Leary et al. (2010) state that it is difficult for researchers to explain why some children who are sexually abused as children go on to have mental health issues. However, among adults who experienced trauma as children, the severity of the sexual assault in particular may explain the variation in mental health. This would imply that the degree of maltreatment suffered by children could account for the severity of depression. According to Zink et al. (2009), there is a link between the severity of sexual abuse and an increase in symptoms associated with the abuse, such as a higher number of abusers.

Furthermore, O’Leary and colleagues (2010) discovered that higher frequencies of abuse were linked to higher rates of mental health problems, like depression, in adulthood, based on the frequency of sexual assault as a measure of severity. Sex or penetration were linked to more severe forms of abuse and more severe long-term effects, including depression (Dube et al., 2005). Stated differently, the degree of child abuse correlates with the severity of depression experienced later in life.

Disclosure of Child Abuse

According to Hassan et al. (2015), the problem with disclosure is that the child victim might experience feelings of guilt, shame, or fear related to the sexual abuse, or they might feel under pressure to defend the abuser. This is particularly true if the child and family are familiar with the attacker. This implies that the various feelings that were discussed earlier led to either no disclosure at all or a delayed disclosure. If a child withholds or delays reporting abuse, the abuse is likely to go on. According to earlier research, this would point to a longer history of child abuse and a higher chance of developing severe depression later in life.

Child Abuse and the Perpetrator-Relationship

The severity of the abuse and how it affects the victims’ mental health may depend on whether adult survivors of sexual abuse were genetically related to their abusers, as noted by O’Leary et al. (2010). When parents or other caregivers are unavailable, it is simple for the perpetrators to take advantage of the child because they typically have a trusting relationship with the victim’s family (Hassan et al., 2015).

Hassan et al. (2015) corroborate these findings by stating that the majority of sexual abuse is committed by males who are familiar with the child and well-known to the family. When their emotions are running high, young children often seek solace from their primary caregiver. On the other hand, abuse victims have to contend with the paradox that the person who is meant to be supporting them might also be the one sexually abusing them (Espeleta et al., 2017).

Child Abuse and Mental Health Care

Espeleta et al. (2017) point out that experiencing child sexual abuse can be emotionally draining and leave victims with feelings that are too strong for them to handle. However, according to Sivagurunathan et al. (2019), victims of child abuse who receive prompt mental health care may be better able to handle the trauma of sexual assault, create enduring bonds with their loved ones, and cultivate positive self-concepts.

Counsellors play a crucial role in assisting their patients in achieving and maintaining overall wellbeing. Given the apparent link between childhood adversity, such as child abuse, and adult health issues, like depression, this may be especially true for those with histories of challenging or chaotic childhoods (Hovey et al., 2011). Getting better mental health care after being abused as a child can significantly reduce the chance of developing depression later in life.

Conclusion

The reality is that many abuse waves go unreported because most childhood abuse occurs in homes where the abusers are the child’s own parents or family members and because families in these close-knit settings protect one another’s identities (Bankole & Arowosegbe, 2014). The lack of funding for systematic studies and educational initiatives aimed at bringing attention to the impacts of child abuse in South Africa makes it challenging to apply this research there as well (Makoae et al., 2012).

Typically, when one thinks of child abuse, images of violent sexual acts come to mind. These days, the boundaries surrounding child abuse are growing due to the rapid advancement of technology. Using webcams to broadcast child sexual abuse acts to a worldwide audience is known as “child abuse live streaming” (Napier et al., 2021). Since this information has only recently become available, there is a sizable gap in the literature. Research on the relationship between depression and more modern forms of child abuse is scarce.

Author: Janika Nagin

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