Care-giving disorders represent a major failure in attachment and hedonic systems. The most serious forms of care-giving disorders relate to child-parent interactions. This is because so much of the child's development is shaped by these early experiences. Child-parent care-giving disorder has three main domains: neglect abuse; physical abuse; and sexual abuse. The consequences of neglect and physical abuse in children can be severe and long lasting. It is therefore important to attempt to conceptualise the characteristics of those who damage their children. Sexual abuse is often associated with physical abuse. Identity abuse relates to the conflict between the child's and an adult's value systems. Spouse abuse is also a major problem. People tend not to admit to spouse abuse because of stigma. At the individual level, neglect and identity abuse are most common in men who use their wives as stress absorbers or dedicate themselves to a career as a way to avoid intimacy.