ABSTRACT
They are introduced in various ways and by those entrusted with their care and welfare. Many are portrayed as difficult to parent (i.e., oppositional, moody, defiant, and aggressive). Some are described as immature and delayed in their development, manifesting nascent learning and cognitive problems; others are portrayed as inattentive, impulsive, distractible, and hyperactive, with the ever increasing question being raised about the presence of an attention deficit disorder (ADD; APA, 1994). Still others, most usually little girls, are described as emotionally labile, withdrawn, sad and apprehensive in their dealings with the world. These children are a varied and heterogeneous lot and they come from all walks of life: the rich and the poor, the gifted and the less endowed, children from intact families and those from chaotic, impoverished, and dysfunctional ones. Yet, the thread that connects all is the fact that abuse, neglect, and trauma have been salient and identifying factors that have impacted in various ways on their young lives.
