An individual’s life is influenced by a complex set of factors which determine what one grows to be in future, as well as how they interact with others. There are for interactive forces which influence development, i.e., biological forces, psychological forces, sociocultural and life cycle forces. Every individual is a unique combination of these forces. Traumatic events have a significant impact on the psychological, physiological, neurobiological, emotional, relational, behavioral, cognitive and sociological development of children. Childhood trauma has been defined as a range of events that a child experiences, which are either emotionally or physically harmful or even threatening. The adverse effects that result from these experiences are long lasting, and they ultimately affect the functioning of a child, as well as their physical, social and emotional well-being. According to the American Psychological Association, childhood trauma can be characterized by two main criteria; the experience that a child undergoes, and the child’s reaction to that experience. If these experiences overwhelm a child’s ability to cope, then feelings of fear, helplessness and worry result. A wide range of research studies exists, which show that childhood trauma has long-term adverse effects on development and behavior of a child (De Bellis & Zisk, 2014). This research paper will, therefore, explore the effects that trauma has on the development and behavior of a child.
There is exists evidence, which proves that childhood trauma disrupts various developmental processes. In addition to this, exposure to trauma leads to medical and psychological deficiencies, and eventually, a child may develop learned helplessness, as well as exaggerated emotional distress. The detrimental effects associated with trauma experiences are due to alteration of a child's perception where there is the development of distrust in others and a negative impression of the world. Trauma has been shown to alter biological stress systems, and as a result, various functions are adversely affected, including brain development, language acquisition as well as the development of cognitive and academic skills. Changes in brain stress systems consequently leas to an imbalance in the levels of stress hormones, which adversely affects different areas of the brain at various stages of development. Also, a child's nervous system may be altered (Dye, 2018).
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According to Dye (2018), exposure to trauma affects the neurological development of a child. The resulting neurobiological changes affect brain development which then affects brain function. Alteration of neurological processes leads to changes in the interrelated brain circuits and hormonal systems that are involved in stress regulation. These changes have a wide range of adverse effects in the brain, including impairment of information processing systems, and alteration of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. These effects on the HPA axis makes it difficult for traumatized individuals to modulate cognitive and behavioral responses to subsequent stress effectively. It is important to note that it is the activation of HPA axis (when threatening events occur) which leads to increased levels of corticosteroids; corticosteroids exhibit a certain level of interaction with both cognitive functions and physical functions. Severe stress leads to excessive release of corticosteroids, which dysregulates HPA axis. Given that a child’s brain is continually developing, exposure to traumatic events leads to overexposure to corticosteroids which later causes hormonal imbalances and hence a higher prevalence of depression.
Trauma affects various structures of a developing brain such that there is deactivation of structures that regulate intense emotions. Continued exposure to traumatic events elevates emotional reaction and thereby suppresses the ability to control feelings and behaviors. Traumatic experiences are trapped in a child's brain, and there is a constant struggle with worries and horrific thoughts. The various areas of the brain that are affected by trauma include the brain stem, the mid-brain, and the diencephalon, the limbic and the cortex. The brain stem is involved in the regulation of metabolism and stress as well as survival mechanisms, while the midbrain and the diencephalon play an important role in sleep and appetite and motor control, the limbic regulates emotions, affiliation, and attachment, feelings as well as pleasure while the cortex is involved in language, cognition, and reasoning. Considering that several brain areas are affected by trauma, the full range of associated effects indicate that trauma adversely affects the development of a child (Infurna, Rivers, Reich, & Zautra, 2015).
Trauma is usually classified into two, i.e., simple and complex trauma. Simple trauma encompasses life-threatening events such as accidents or disasters. The experiences that are involved in this kind of trauma range from illnesses and car accidents to more traumatic experiences such as terrorism. Complex trauma encompasses repeated threats of violation or violence that occurs between a child and another individual. Experiences that lead to complex trauma include sexual, physical or emotional abuse, bullying, witnessing domestic violence or child neglect. There are numerous studies, which explain that complex trauma significantly affects the development of a child in several ways (Dye, 2018). For instance, a child may fail to develop a secure attachment with a parent or a primary caregiver if the child continually witnesses domestic violence between the parents. This may cause a sophisticated form of trauma, and it has been documented that such trauma has greatest profound consequences on the development of a child.
Kail & Cavanaugh (2016), explains that attachment is a significant influencer of future social relationships. Children who have a secure attachment with their parents or their primary caregiver develop friendships of higher quality than children who have a disorganized attachment. Besides, conflicts in friendships and relationships become much fewer when there is a secure attachment. More particularly, traumatized children with disorganized attachment do not trust the world and therefore feel that it is an uncertain and unpredictable place. As a result, the relationships that they create later in life are characterized by distrust and suspiciousness, which usually leads to social isolation and difficulty in relating with others as well as empathizing with them.
There are two possible explanations for this, one of which focuses on the long-lasting effects of this initial social interaction. It creates an environment where a child views life positively, whereby trust for other human beings is developed, which ultimately leads to more skilled social interactions later in life. Secondly, secure attachments enhance more supportive, skilled and warm parenting, Therefore, though not exclusively, a child's development is influenced by the level of attachment that is developed between the child and the parents. Hence traumatic experiences which affect the establishment of a secure attachment significantly impact the development of a child (Kail & Cavanaugh, 2016).
Dye (2018) explains that repeated exposure to trauma affects the behaviors of a child in a variety of ways. The child may experience anxiety which causes an elevated level of fear, more particularly fear of new situations. The child may also become easily alarmed, and self-destructive behaviors may develop. Studies have established that traumatized children become suicidal later in life and also, they have a higher likelihood of engaging in criminal activities. Continued exposure to trauma causes developmental regression which is characterized by behaviors such as baby talk or crying. Aggressiveness and personality disorders are also associated with traumatic experiences. Finally, a traumatized child is usually oddly quiet and passive, with minimal interest in activities that peers of the same age engage in.
When a child gets exposed to trauma at a young age, the resulting consequences may be, and this may adversely affect the future life of the child. In my opinion, this research paper is important because it provides an overview of how trauma affects the development of a child. These long-lasting effects can persist in adulthood, which can affect the quality of life of an individual. The results include physical, mental and emotional deficiencies. Human growth and development is a process that takes place throughout an individual's life, and numerous factors shape an individual's life. This research paper critically analyzes why specific occurrences during childhood are detrimental and also offers a developmental perspective of the effects associated with traumatic events. It also explains why certain people behave the way they do. This paper is, therefore, an important piece for everyone studying human growth and development as it provides a new perspective of trauma and its effects on the development and behaviors of a child.
Trauma not only affects the development and behavior of a child, but it also affects the health of a child. It also affects the family and the victims as well as the society economically. Family dysfunction is a factor that contributes to childhood trauma in the modern society. As mentioned earlier, trauma encompasses child neglect. This research has great relevance in the modern society, where parents have minimal time for their children due to work demands, and other demanding commitments. In addition to this, some parents become entirely attached to the Internet such that they no longer value the time spent with children, which further promotes the formation of a secure attachment between the parent and the child. This amounts to child neglect, and more importantly, it leads to a disorganized attachment which has been shown to have detrimental effects on the social life of the child.
References
De Bellis, M. D., & Zisk, A. (2014). The Biological Effects of Childhood Trauma. Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America , 23 (2), 185-222. doi:10.1016/j.chc.2014.01.002
Dye, H. (2018). The impact and long-term effects of childhood trauma. Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment , 28 (3), 381-392. doi:10.1080/10911359.2018.1435328
Infurna, F. J., Rivers, C. T., Reich, J., & Zautra, A. J. (2015). Childhood Trauma and Personal Mastery: Their Influence on Emotional Reactivity to Everyday Events in a Community Sample of Middle-Aged Adults. PLOS ONE , 10 (4), e0121840. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0121840
Kail, R. V., & Cavanaugh, J. C. (2016). Human development: a life-span view (7th ed.). Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.
