Final answer:
Child abuse encompasses harmful behavior that negatively impacts a child's development in various domains and has severe long-term effects on their wellbeing and society.
Step-by-step explanation:
The behavior described in the student's question is known as child abuse, which includes actions that are harmful and destructive to a child's cognitive, social, emotional, or physical development. Child abuse manifests in various forms, such as neglect, physical abuse, sexual abuse, psychological maltreatment, and medical neglect. While physical discipline like spanking is not considered abuse when it does not result in injury, abusive behaviors like beating, kicking, or burning are deemed abusive even if the caregiver's intention was not to harm.
The consequences of child abuse are significant, impacting not only the wellbeing of the child but society as a whole through increased health care needs, educational challenges, and interactions with the criminal justice system.