What are the benefits and costs of including childrens preferences for residence with a specific parent in custody proceedings once divorce is inevitable?

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The answers for the midterm needs to be corrected. This test was worth 15 points. Question 1 & 2 earned 2 points and the 3rd questions earned 3 points out of 5. Please go back and double check that every questions is answered with specific details
1) If you suspected that a child had been sexually abused how would you go about interacting with or questioning the child making sure to avoid questioning methods that would taint the acquisition of objective facts from the child? 2) Should parents stay together and not divorce for the sake of the children? What are the costs of parental divorce for children? What may be the benefits of divorce and under what conditions? What are the benefits and costs of including childrens preferences for residence with a specific parent in custody proceedings once divorce is inevitable? 3) What are the legal definitions of physical abuse neglect sexual abuse and psychological abuse? What are the outcomes specific to each type of abuse and neglect and which outcomes are seen across different types of abuse and neglect? Why is it that some children and adolescents who have not experienced neglect or abuse still present with outcomes that children and adolescents who have been abused and neglected do?
Answers that need to be corrected
Question one
Most people have no idea of the correct approach to use when approaching a child who has been sexually abused. One of the most important facts here is that the child will most likely love the abuser. This is due to the fact that most child abusers are in many cases close family members. The child will therefore be hesitant to reveal the abuser because he or she does not want to put the offender in trouble. The child could also have developed immense fear of the person. For the truth to come out clearly the child must be able to trust the person they open up to. Therefore one has to react kindly and not in a way that shows disgust or distrust. Also the privacy of the child must be respected and such conversation should occur in a private environment where the child feels safe. It is vital that the child is reassured that what is happening to him or her is not their fault. The screening process should in no way pressurize the child because it would create an environment that is a keen to the abuse itself. Therefore the child should not be forced to talk or show injuries. The screening process should be at the pace of the child. It is also vital to uncover early on what the child expects one to help them. All in all the child must be shown she can trust the one she opens to. That means that one has to reassure the child of his or her support especially with matters regarding the safety of the child.
Question two
When a child is involved the decision of whether to terminate or endure a dysfunctional marriage becomes difficult. Majority of people in such marriages make decisions on this issue depending on what they think is best for their children. According to Shulman (2016) children who are raised in a stable two parent family show the least indications of deviant behavior anxiety or depression. However those raised in a two parent environment that conflicted and stressed have ominously more defiant behavior and disciplinary and coping issues than children raised in stable single parent or divorced homes. Such children fail to achieve their potential in all facets and have difficulty in developing the capacity to involve themselves in intimate relationships. Therefore it is vital to ensure that the environment the child is being brought up in is not augmented full of hate unstable or conflicting. In case it is impossible to achieve peace certainty convergence and stability in a marriage it is vital divorce is sought for the sake of the child. In case divorce is apparent custody should be awarded to the parent who is in a position to offer the best upbringing conditions to the child. These include love stability certainty and peace. The mother should always be the preferred custodian if she can provide such an environment because she is better placed to up bring the child in a gender role as the primary care-giver.
Question three
Legally physical abuse alludes to the deliberate physical injury to a child in the form of striking biting burning kicking or any wanton action that leads to physical injury to the child. Child neglect on the other hand refers to the failure of the primary caregiver of the child (parent or otherwise) to provide the basic needs to such an extent that the safety and health of the child is under threat. Sexual abuse includes all forms of sexual exploitation including prostitution phonography and human trafficking (Lamont 2010). Psychological abuse entails damage to the psychological capacity of the child evidenced by a significant change in emotional response and cognition. Child abuse and neglect can affect nearly all facets of development. Al forms of abuse and neglect affect psychological development. These include attachment problems and inability to form functional relationship in the future. However some outcomes are specific to certain forms of abuses. For instance physical and sexual abuse cause physical health issues trauma drug abuse aggression and even suicide (Rhodes 2015). Neglect could cause delinquency violence homelessness drug abuse mental health issues and behavioral problems. Eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia have been closely linked with sexual abuse (Rhodes 2015). Sexual abuse could also lead to teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections such as HIV/AIDs. Just witnessing another person being abused could trigger some of these outcomes in a child who has not been abused.
Useful source: Handbook of Child Psychology (2006) Chapters: 18- Childhood Poverty Policy & Practice 19- The Child and the Law