Abuse refers to harmful or injurious treatment of a person to another person which may include physical, sexual, verbal, sychological/emotional, intellectual, or spiritual maltreatment.

Abuse is a complex psychosocial problem that affects large numbers of adults as well as children throughout the world. It is listed in the Diagnostic and Statistic Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR) under the heading of "Other Conditions That May Be a Focus of Clinical Attention." Although abuse was first defined with regard to children when it first received sustained attention in the 1950s, clinicians and researchers now recognize that adults can suffer abuse in a number of different circumstances.

Related Articles

Axis I at psychology-glossary.com■■■■■■■■
Axis I refers to the diagnostic axis of the DSM-IV-TR that identifies all of the clinical disorders that . . . Read More
DSM-IV at psychology-glossary.com■■■■■■■
DSM-IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) refers to the 4th edition of the DSM, . . . Read More
Patient at psychology-glossary.com■■■■■■
Patient is a term in the medical model which refers to a person who receives treatment In the psychology . . . Read More
DSM-III at psychology-glossary.com■■■■■■
DSM-III (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) refers to the third edition of the Diagnostic . . . Read More
Poverty at psychology-glossary.com■■■■■■
Poverty is generally and commonly defined as the condition of having little money and few material possessions. . . . Read More
Autistic Spectrum Disorder at psychology-glossary.com■■■■■■
Autistic Spectrum Disorder refers to a complex developmental disability that affects the way a person . . . Read More
Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease at top500.de■■■■■■
The Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease is a rare and fatal neurodegenerative disease 87224/2006-09-16 Creutzfeldt-Jakob . . . Read More
Ecological psychotherapy at psychology-glossary.com■■■■■■
Ecological Psychotherapy refers to a model for assessment, problem formulation, and treatment planning . . . Read More
Axis IV at psychology-glossary.com■■■■■■
Axis IV refers to the diagnostic axis of the DSM-IV that specifies any psychosocial or environmental . . . Read More
Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder at psychology-glossary.com■■■■■
Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder refers to a disorder of apparent lack of interest or Desire in sexual . . . Read More