This is in relationship to abuse issues and the inability for a child to grown into a trusting adult. Not a physical burn although it can absolutely include a physical burn. It cover all types of abuses on children. Physical, emotional, mental, spiritual...destroying the trust and therefore affecting trust issues as adults.

Risk factors are greater and possibly having their lives become:
Drug Abuse/addiction
Alcohol abuse/addiction
Single parenting
Uneducated
Poverty

Just a few of the Doctors' involved in the research
Dr. Elaine Hatfield,
Dr. G. William Walster
Dr. Lee Salk
Dr. Hanna Kapit

My question is can such past abuses stay in the subconscious to the point of
affecting one life to this extreme? or is there an ability to change these potential trust issues, problems, if so how, what are they?

I studied Attachment Disorder for a while. I wonder if this is the same thing?

Yes, I absolutely believe that abuse can have the effects you described and worse. Can this be changed? It depends entirely on the person. Everyone is different and what is traumatic for one will not be so for another. You can have two people suffer serious abuse. One becomes a serial killer and the other develops multiple personality disorder or some other mental condition that allows them to cope.

There are risk factors and protective factors that can influence the development of a child. There is no doubt that abuse in any form can be determinal to the development of children. I know that you are just relisting the informattion... did they look into protective factors. Cause if not, then I would find their research a little biased or uneven.

Attachment theory is one of theories in psychology. There are other theories out there, but can't think of them off the top of my head.

In my humble opinion: Yes...most definitely it can affect someone for a lifetime. Poor/unhealthy coping mechanisms usually develop because of a lack of healthy behavior modeling. This is not to say that the issues cannot be overcome, but the person has to have an awakening of their own or an intervention from a caring outsider. But it takes a commitment to end the negative talk inside one's head, a motivation to change, and the determination to work at it everyday.

Different people have different levels of coping skills/abilities. Is that what you mean by protective factors, Tanya?

I do believe that there is a point where someone can die emotionally inside and there is no coming back from it.

Coping skills could be a protective factor.

But it could be....

Having an adult rolemodel (family member, coach, teacher, etc)


There are a list of protective factors for lots of different things.

If you look at the protective factors for poverty...
It could be the family environment is positive,
The school is good eventhough the child lives in poverty,
Having grandmother watch the child every weekend might be protective.

Okay, I see what you are saying.

There are so many variables in these situations that it's impossible to say from the start how someone will turn out.

This is a 3 hour "test" done on adults...it is not something being diagnosed during these traumatic years. It is the after effects...
I have a friend in Seattle who has been going through the process...so to speak. She is a few years younger than me. I'm just finding it interesting, because I know what went on in her house while we were growing up.

My very best friend was molested by a family member for years and her mom and grandmother refused to believe her. Her father was an alcoholic who was never around. Her mother would send her and her brother back to El Salvador for months at a time during wartime and she would sleep with bombs going off nearby.

Today she is a Smith College graduate, married, a devout Mormon and getting ready to go into law school (she's only 27 - I know, big age difference for a best friend). She has what I consider to be a moderate case of OCD which she acknowledges but refuses to take meds for. Other than that she is only as screwed up as the rest of us.

I honestly don't know why or how some people cope better than others. I did okay, but did not cope as well as she did.

There are a lot of different factors that go into being able to cope.

There is research out there in regards to different personality traits and the ability to cope. It also may come down to how a person deals with trauma... do they internalize it (meaning take it in) by blaming themselves... did they 'block' part of a traumatic event from their memory as a way to cope. Or did they externalize as a means to cope... act out in school, get into trouble with the law, become violent/aggressive.

Now this is where the coping factors come into play... did they have someone to talk to about how they were feeling, did someone notice their 'bad' behavior and tell them they weren't bad. Did they use religion/spirituality as a means to cope with their situation. Did they become involved in social activities. Were their members of the community that were role models of a good home environment. Did they go through extensive therapy to cope with their past.

There are a number of different factors to come into play.... not to mention that what one persons deems as traumatic, might not be considered traumatic to the next.

(Something else came to mind, but forgot it! )


As for most research studies... there are always limitations. A 3-hour test/interview/survey/etc doesn't always capture the real essence of an issue. If this study has been published, I would love to read it.

You know a lot about this Tanya. Your occupation or just studied it?

I think it also depends on when the traumatic events occurred. I went to college but in my second year I was raped and dropped out. So, that ended my higher education experience which would have led to a different life experience. So many factors to take into consideration.

Doctors are very hesitant to label children with psychological disorder. At least they used to be. I would guess this is because they don't want to limit the possibilities for a child by labeling them.

I have a degree in Social work and a minor in psychology. Currently in grad school for social work (but not direct practice/therapy)

I have interned in mental health and dv/sa (domestic violence and sexual assault).



And I am a sponge and remember lots of different random facts and things.

Yes, there tends to be a hesitation to label or diagnose... due partly to the fact that children are still developing and they don't want children tracked into certain things.

(this reminded me that most research isn't done on children because of ethical reasons... so we don't know as much about chilren and disorders.)