Persistent Physical Symptoms (PPS) as Functional Signals in Children’s Disclosures of Child Abuse
- Author
- Stefaan Boel (UGent) , Florien Meulewaeter (UGent) , Kasia Uzieblo, Marc Cools (UGent) and Wouter Vanderplasschen (UGent)
- Organization
- Abstract
- Regarding child abuse, the frequent lack of early disclosure by children is a notable phenomenon. Despite the fact that early disclosure of child abuse is associated with better outcomes for the child, research indicates that many children wait until a later age to disclose. Research points to the negative impact on mental health when there is no space for disclosure or when professionals do not respond adequately. The diagnosis of child abuse involves assessing threatening factors and recognizing symptoms and signals, both physically and behaviorally. There is a wide variety of terms to describe symptoms related to “Persistent Physical Symptoms (PPS)” such as psychosomatic complaints. Often reported symptoms of PPS in children and adolescents include abdominal pain, headaches, back pain, chest pain, and (chronic) fatigue. We present a case study of a child that is referred for psychotherapy due to PPS and in which disclosures about child abuse come to light during psychotherapy sessions. The study uses a single case study research design: an indepth empirical investigation of a phenomenon in its real-life context. This case study provides useful insights essential for anyone professionally in contact with children and adolescents: how PPS can be related to being stuck in negative, stressful life circumstances as a child. Our hypothesis is that PPS can be a ‘functional signal’ in disclosures of children about child abuse.
- Keywords
- Childhood abuse, persistent physical symptoms, case history (case study)
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Citation
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication: http://hdl.handle.net/1854/LU-01K59XGR7GXTDGWHNCGYEDJJDQ
- MLA
- Boel, Stefaan, et al. “Persistent Physical Symptoms (PPS) as Functional Signals in Children’s Disclosures of Child Abuse.” INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PSYCHOTHERAPY, vol. 28, no. 3, 2024, pp. 101–09, doi:10.35075/IJP.2024.28.3.7/Boel/Meulerwaeter/Uzieblo/Cools&Vanderplasschen.
- APA
- Boel, S., Meulewaeter, F., Uzieblo, K., Cools, M., & Vanderplasschen, W. (2024). Persistent Physical Symptoms (PPS) as Functional Signals in Children’s Disclosures of Child Abuse. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PSYCHOTHERAPY, 28(3), 101–109. https://doi.org/10.35075/IJP.2024.28.3.7/Boel/Meulerwaeter/Uzieblo/Cools&Vanderplasschen
- Chicago author-date
- Boel, Stefaan, Florien Meulewaeter, Kasia Uzieblo, Marc Cools, and Wouter Vanderplasschen. 2024. “Persistent Physical Symptoms (PPS) as Functional Signals in Children’s Disclosures of Child Abuse.” INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PSYCHOTHERAPY 28 (3): 101–9. https://doi.org/10.35075/IJP.2024.28.3.7/Boel/Meulerwaeter/Uzieblo/Cools&Vanderplasschen.
- Chicago author-date (all authors)
- Boel, Stefaan, Florien Meulewaeter, Kasia Uzieblo, Marc Cools, and Wouter Vanderplasschen. 2024. “Persistent Physical Symptoms (PPS) as Functional Signals in Children’s Disclosures of Child Abuse.” INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PSYCHOTHERAPY 28 (3): 101–109. doi:10.35075/IJP.2024.28.3.7/Boel/Meulerwaeter/Uzieblo/Cools&Vanderplasschen.
- Vancouver
- 1.Boel S, Meulewaeter F, Uzieblo K, Cools M, Vanderplasschen W. Persistent Physical Symptoms (PPS) as Functional Signals in Children’s Disclosures of Child Abuse. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PSYCHOTHERAPY. 2024;28(3):101–9.
- IEEE
- [1]S. Boel, F. Meulewaeter, K. Uzieblo, M. Cools, and W. Vanderplasschen, “Persistent Physical Symptoms (PPS) as Functional Signals in Children’s Disclosures of Child Abuse,” INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PSYCHOTHERAPY, vol. 28, no. 3, pp. 101–109, 2024.
@article{01K59XGR7GXTDGWHNCGYEDJJDQ,
abstract = {{Regarding child abuse, the frequent lack of early disclosure by children is a
notable phenomenon. Despite the fact that early disclosure of child abuse is
associated with better outcomes for the child, research indicates that many
children wait until a later age to disclose. Research points to the negative impact
on mental health when there is no space for disclosure or when professionals
do not respond adequately. The diagnosis of child abuse involves
assessing threatening factors and recognizing symptoms and signals, both
physically and behaviorally.
There is a wide variety of terms to describe symptoms related to “Persistent
Physical Symptoms (PPS)” such as psychosomatic complaints. Often reported
symptoms of PPS in children and adolescents include abdominal pain,
headaches, back pain, chest pain, and (chronic) fatigue.
We present a case study of a child that is referred for psychotherapy due to
PPS and in which disclosures about child abuse come to light during psychotherapy
sessions. The study uses a single case study research design: an indepth
empirical investigation of a phenomenon in its real-life context. This
case study provides useful insights essential for anyone professionally in
contact with children and adolescents: how PPS can be related to being stuck
in negative, stressful life circumstances as a child. Our hypothesis is that PPS
can be a ‘functional signal’ in disclosures of children about child abuse.}},
author = {{Boel, Stefaan and Meulewaeter, Florien and Uzieblo, Kasia and Cools, Marc and Vanderplasschen, Wouter}},
issn = {{1356-9082}},
journal = {{INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PSYCHOTHERAPY}},
keywords = {{Childhood abuse,persistent physical symptoms,case history (case study)}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{3}},
pages = {{101--109}},
title = {{Persistent Physical Symptoms (PPS) as Functional Signals in Children’s Disclosures of Child Abuse}},
url = {{http://doi.org/10.35075/IJP.2024.28.3.7/Boel/Meulerwaeter/Uzieblo/Cools&Vanderplasschen}},
volume = {{28}},
year = {{2024}},
}
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