Final answer:
Negative nurturance refers to patterns of neglect and passive abuse in caregiving contexts, affecting both children and elders.
Step-by-step explanation:
Negative nurturance, which encompasses neglect and passive abuse, is a critical issue in the field of child welfare and elder care.
Neglect is the most common form of child abuse, accounting for 78.3 percent of cases, and is characterized by a lack of response to a child's basic needs.
This can stem from a variety of factors, including but not limited to, severe depression, substance abuse, or an extreme focus on areas such as work, leading to the caregiver providing only the basic needs and nothing more.
Children raised in such environments tend to be emotionally withdrawn, anxious, and at an increased risk for issues such as poor school performance and substance abuse.
In the context of elder care, neglect also plays a significant role, with paid caregivers at a higher risk of being abusive, especially when they have low job satisfaction, treat the elderly like children, or feel burnt out.
A history of depression in the caregiver was also found to increase the likelihood of elder abuse. Furthermore, caregivers who were themselves abused as children, or who have some dependency on the elder, are more likely to perpetrate physical abuse.
Identifying signs and symptoms of abuse and neglect is essential for intervention, which may occur if caregivers fail to utilize available public or private services designed to offer assistance.
The outcome of negative nurturance can lead to damaging long-term effects on the emotional and physical well-being of the affected individuals, whether they be children or elders.