Gender and Inequality

Defining what child neglect can be difficult, the reason for that being is that the definition varies among States and child welfare field. When looking at parent or caregiver factors to child neglect, there is not one set of characteristics or personality traits associated to this. Factors that contribute to neglect relate to substance abuse, age, attitudes and knowledge, and psychological well-being. Parents or caregivers may display low self-esteem, poor impulse control, depression, anxiety and emotional difficulties.

As Gina Stepp stated in Family Violence: http://www.vision.org/visionmedia/family-relationships/family-violence.aspx “human patterns of interaction are learned from those with whom we interact most regularly, just as other patters or behavior are learned.” Gina is looking at child abuse from the social learning theory and I agree that if the individuals didn’t have a good parental role model or didn’t have their needs meet; this can play a large part in how he or she may act as a parent. Some findings have indicated that if the parents or caregivers were victims of abuse and neglect themselves as children, they have learned that violent behavior and justify it accordingly.

Gina also suggests that family violence may have more to do with a particular neighborhoods acceptance of violence than with its perceived level of social disadvantage. Socioeconomic factors such as unemployment and unmarried teen pregnancy are factors with family violence, it would seem logical for communities to be more cautious with this type of topic, but without ending the social toleration for aggression that takes place between families, a change will not