ABSTRACT

As many as one in four women have suffered severe neglect or abuse in childhood. This doubles the likelihood of their suffering clinical depression in adult life. Based on twenty years of systematic research,Wednesday's Child examines why neglect and abuse occur and demonstrates how such negative experience in childhood often results in abusive adult relationships, low self-esteem and depression.
Drawing on interviews with over 200 women, the authors show vividly what can be learned from the experience of adult survivors of abuse. Most importantly, Wednesday's Child assesses the factors which can reduce the later impact of such experience on both the children of today and the parents of tomorrow.

chapter Chapter 1|15 pages

Introduction: history-taking

part I|48 pages

Neglect

chapter Chapter 2|15 pages

Neglect: never truly available

chapter Chapter 4|16 pages

Antipathy: ceaseless reprimand

part II|53 pages

Abuse

part III|71 pages

Contexts and outcomes

chapter Chapter 9|16 pages

Adult vulnerability: legacy of childhood

chapter Chapter 10|21 pages

Resilience: escape from risk

chapter Chapter 11|16 pages

Conclusion: the century of the child