Chapter 5 of the course textbook discusses the brain development of the child in early life as well as the impact of accidents and maltreatment. The required article by Perry (2009) illustrates and defends an approach to child maltreatment based on neurodevelopmental analysis that seeks to understand and treat abuse victims with reference to the areas of the brain affected.
Based on these readings, account for or respond to each of the following in your initial post:
• Analyze the findings of the Perry study, addressing the strengths and shortcomings of the neurodevelopmental approach. Are there limits to this sort of approach, and if so, what alternative approach might add something to a neurobiological analysis?
• Offer a real life experience, alternative study, or recent news report that in some way illustrates or casts light upon Perry’s findings.
Sample solution
Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell.
In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.
God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.
Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.
To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.
References
Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.
Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.
Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.
The Neurodevelopmental Impact of Maltreatment: Understanding Perry’s Findings and Their Limitations
Perry’s Neurodevelopmental Approach: Strengths and Shortcomings
Dr. Bruce Perry’s groundbreaking work in the neurodevelopmental impact of child maltreatment sheds light on the lasting effects of abuse on the developing brain. His study, by analyzing brain scans of children exposed to trauma, identified clear patterns of neurological alterations, particularly in areas responsible for emotion regulation, stress response, and social interaction. These findings have significant implications for understanding the behavior of abused children and developing effective interventions.
Strengths of the Neurodevelopmental Approach:
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Scientific Foundation: The study provides a scientific basis for understanding the long-term effects of child maltreatment, moving beyond purely behavioral observations.
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Targeted Interventions: Understanding the specific brain regions affected by trauma allows for the development of interventions tailored to address those areas.
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Enhanced Empathy and Understanding: The study highlights the complex biological and neurological underpinnings of trauma, fostering greater empathy and understanding for victims.
Shortcomings and Limitations:
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Generalizability: The study focused on a specific population, and further research is needed to confirm the findings across diverse groups of abused children.
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Reductionist View: While the neurodevelopmental approach is valuable, it may overlook the crucial role of social, environmental, and cultural factors in shaping the impact of trauma.
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Individual Variability: Brain development is highly individual, and the severity and nature of the abuse can have a significant impact on the specific brain regions affected.
Alternative Approach:
A psychosocial approach, focusing on the individual’s social experiences, attachment history, and coping mechanisms, can complement the neurobiological analysis. This approach could help:
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Explain individual differences in responses to trauma: Understand how a child’s social environment, coping skills, and support system moderate the impact of maltreatment.
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Address psychological and emotional needs: Provide therapeutic interventions that focus on healing the psychological wounds of abuse.
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Develop comprehensive intervention strategies: Integrate neurobiological insights with psychosocial interventions to create more holistic treatment plans.
Real-Life Example: The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study
The ACE Study (Felitti et al., 1998) provides a real-life example that reinforces Perry’s findings. This large-scale study found that experiencing adverse childhood experiences, such as abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction, is strongly correlated with later-life health problems, including chronic diseases, substance abuse, and mental health disorders. The ACE study supports Perry’s findings by demonstrating the long-lasting impact of trauma on both physical and mental well-being.
Conclusion:
Perry’s neurodevelopmental approach provides a crucial understanding of the biological consequences of child maltreatment. However, it should be viewed in conjunction with psychosocial considerations for a complete understanding of the complex impact of trauma. Integrating these perspectives is vital for developing effective prevention, intervention, and treatment strategies for abused children.
References
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Felitti, V. J., Anda, R. F., Nordenberg, D. F., Williamson, D. F., Spitz, A. M., Edwards, V., … & Anda, A. S. (1998). The relationship of childhood abuse and household dysfunction to many of the leading causes of death in adults: The adverse childhood experiences (ACE) study. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 14(4), 245-258.
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Perry, B. D. (2009). The neurodevelopmental impact of child maltreatment: A neurobiological perspective. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 50(10), 1096-1106.
