Relationship between Physical Violence against Children and Youth and the Psychosocial Development of Victims (Atena Editora)

Abstract

The presence of physical violence and marginalization at different historical and socio-economic moments in Brazil has led to the normalization and socio-cultural acceptance of acts of physical punishment as a mechanism for controlling, disciplining and educating children. The article aims to analyze the profile of victims of physical violence against children and adolescents in Brazil, in addition to understanding the consequences for psychosocial development and possible long-term outcomes. Integrative review with analysis of data from SINAN (Information System for Notifiable Diseases). The DeCS descriptors "child maltreatment" and "aggression" and "child" were used in the Scielo, BVS, LILACS and CAPES periodicals databases. We included full-text studies published in the last five years in Portuguese. We excluded those that addressed other forms of child violence together. From 2016 to 2021, the following were reported 117,585 cases of violence against children and adolescents in Brazil, 56,961 of them physical violence. The main victims were females aged between 10 and 14, and the mother was the aggressor in many cases. Minority populations, such as the black population, were more susceptible to developing symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. Prolonged exposure to physical aggression in the domestic environment resulted in negative effects on the emotional development of the victims. Despite underreporting in the country, more developed areas, but with greater social inequality, such as the Southeast and South, had a higher number of reported cases. These traumatic experiences can lead to problems such as anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, relationship difficulties and aggressive behavior.