Child abuse ‘transmitted’

Press, 22 May 1986, Page 17

Child abuse ‘transmitted’

NZPA-AAP Brisbane Victims of child abuse often mistreated their own children in a subconscious desire to learn a better style of parenting, a psychiatrists’- congress was told.

Dr Philip Ney, of Christchurch, told the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists that child abuse was transmitted from one generation to the next because children learned parenting styles from their fathers and mothers. Victims of abuse tended to pick partners who treated them as they had been treated, almost as if they were determined to re-enact abusing situations, he said. “When a child is abused by a parent it is like being attacked by a friendly giant who is three times size — it is a major

dilemma for the child,” he said. “We must solve dilemmas and like a severe car crash, people who have been in this situation come back to the scene trying to discover what happened. “Most frequently you will pick out people who will help you restage it, thinking maybe if I make it happen again I can find out what went wrong.” Dr Ney said. Parents inflicting the abuse often were reminded sharply of the pain they suffered as children. The subconscious “return to the scene” failed when the abuse victim became so involved they were unable to withdraw.

Dr Ney said he had successfully applied his theory in treatment of child abusers.