Müdriye Yildiz Biçakçi

An overview of child neglect and abuse: types, causes, impact and prevention

Abstract This study aims at investigating the definitions, types and causes of child neglect and abuse, as well as their impacts on children, preventive efforts, and offers suggestions. Child neglect is the inhibition of a child’s physical, psychological, moral or social development due to negligence on the part of the parents, caregivers or other adults to provide the basic essentials. Child abuse, in its broadest sense, is the child being intentionally exposed to circumstances, which result in the inhibition of his/her physical, sexual, economic or psychological development by parents, caregivers or other adults. Children who are exposed to neglect or abuse suffers from health problems, such as, psychological problems, developmental delay, depression, low self-esteem, aggressive behavior, poor academic and work performance, learning disorders, difficulties in peer relationships or criminal tendencies. In order to mitigate its impact, the causes of child neglect and abuse should be identified and preventive measures should be taken both governmentally and as a community.

Annelerin Çocuklarına Etkileşimli Kitap Okuma Sürecine İlişkin Görüşleri

In this study it is aimed to identify the views of mothers regarding interactive book-reading process to their children whose ages are between 46 and 62. In the survey the qualitative pattern was conducted. 46-62 months old children and their mothers were the participants of this qualitative study. A ‘semi-structured interview form’ was used to indicate the views of mothers regarding interactive book-reading process. After the first interviews a three-session seminar was held for the volunteered participating mothers. At first part of the seminar, the mothers were presented the language development of children and supporting this development with some samples. Then the impacts of book-reading on their development, the features of pictorial books, the criteria of choosing reading books some features of the books and the ways of interactive book reading to children and such issues were discussed. In the second and third parts of the seminar, practical interactive book-reading activities were applied. Following this, mothers were asked to read 3 books a week, totally 27 story-books within 9 weeks. For each reading book, mothers filled a form so called ‘story book verse form’. Lately the interviews were conducted with mothers after they read the books. According to the results, the findings of the second interview indicated that interactive book-reading has a positive impact on children’s development and mothers’ interactive book-reading skills.

The effects of parent education programs on the development of children aged between 60 and 72 months

The effects of a parent education program on the development of children aged between 60 and 72 months attending preschool were assessed. Participants were children attending 9 kindergartens located in central Ankara and their parents (experimental group: 68 children, 68 parents, control group: 68 children, 68 parents). Data were gathered using a general information form, and the version of the Brigance Early Development Inventory II (Brigance, 2004), that was adapted for use in Turkey by Aral et al. (2008). There was a significant difference between the scores on the subtests of the Brigance Early Development Inventory II and the total pretest and corrected posttest scores independent of group, but no significant difference was found between the scores of the groups on the Brigance Early Development Inventory II or the total pretest and corrected posttest scores. The results also revealed that the parent education program had a minimal effect on children’s daily life and social emotional skills.