Psychological aspects of institutionalized children victims od domestic violence

Abstract

Violence against children is a theme that has been extensively discussed since the 90´s with passing of the Federal Law 8069 - Cgildren and Adolescent Statute (ECA). Up to that time, there was very little concern in relation to childrenn and adolescents, who were not yet seen as subjects to rights. Domestic violence brings seriours consequences to children development, and in more serious cases, the child is separated from the family and judiciously taken to a govemment shelter or another assistance organ. However, the separation from parentes and the breakage of family ties may increase these children suffering even further. The present study tries to characterize, in relation to emotional and behavioral aspects, children between 6 and 12 yers old who were institutionalized due to domestic violence. With the final result, we hope to contribute to a greater understanding about institutionalized children mental health, as well as for the elaboration of preventive strategies and qualified six children that were sheltered in an institution in the city of Maringá that had been referred due to domestic violence. Data collection was carried out by interviewing the staff directty involved in seeing to these children, in which a semi-structured interview protocol was used that tried to identify the type of violence suffered, their situation in relation to the adaptation and relationship with the people that work in the institution. After that, Rutter´s Infantile Behavior Scale A2 adapted by Graminha (1984) was applied. It was possible to verify that among these children, two presented neurotic traces and one presented anti-social traces. However, three of the children studied showed the necessity for psychological or psychiatric treatment. In relation to the type of violence suffered, the majority of the children were referred to the shelter due to abandon, psychological violence and parent´s negligence. In general, the children in question presented a family structure and dynamics weakened by many factors, among which, social, affective and economical. It is fundamental the creation of multidisciplinary supporting programs that would work with the shelters, aiming at the promotion of the children´s mental health and their reinsertion in the family, which may represent new possibilities in the effort to guarantee children´s fundamental rights.