Research Paper

4th Level Festival Supermall Filinvest Corporate City Alabang Muntinlupa City Tel. No. 771-0403 Telefax No.
: 771-0401
Mobile No.: GLOBE: 0917-8564496 / 0916-2179730 / 0916-2180510 SMART: 0929-1212815 / 0929-1212785
Family Crisis : A Phenomenological Study About The Lived Experiences Of Verbally
Abused Teens By Their Parents and Peers In Informatics Computer Institute of
Festival Mall Alabang, Muntinlupa City
A research presented to the faculty of the High School Dept. Informatics Comp. Institute,
Festival Mall Alabang, Muntinlupa City
In partial fulfilment of the requirements for the program Information & Communication
Technology - Animation
By:
Nicolas D. Bonto
Clarissa Manocan
Shairemine Aguado
1
4th Level Festival Supermall Filinvest Corporate City Alabang Muntinlupa City Tel. No. 771-0403 Telefax No.: 771-0401
Table Of Contents
Chapter I
Introduction
Background Of The Study
Research Problem/Questions
Objectives Of The Study
- General
- Specific
Scope & Limitations
- Scope
- Limitations
Significance Of The Study
Beneficiaries Of The Study
Theoretical Framework
Conceptual Framework
Chapter II
Review Of Related Literature (By Subtopics)
Chapter III
Research Design
2
Sample
Sampling Procedure
- Sampling Criteria
Data Collection
Coding Manual
Instruments
- Interview Outline
Chapter IV
Results
Analysis
Chapter V
Conclusions
Recommendations
References (APA Format)
Appendices
Appendix A : Interview Guide
Appendix B : Reflexive Journal (Diary Journal of Bias)
3
Chapter I
Introduction
This paper is a review of research on psychological and emotional abuse in interpersonal
and family relationships including in settings such as long-term care residences. Abuse occurs
when people mistreat or misuse other people, showing no concern for their integrity or innate
worth as individuals, and in a manner that degrades their well being. Abusers frequently are
interested in controlling their victims. They use abusive behaviours to manipulate their victims
into submission or compliance with their will. Abusers control and compel their victims in a
variety of ways. They may verbally abuse them by calling them names, tell them they are stupid,
have no worth or will not amount to anything on their own. Abuse comes in many different
forms. Even if there is no physical violence, abusive language can be very damaging to you and
your children, and an abuser may use emotional abuse as a way to scare, isolate, and control
you. Every child has the right to have a healthy and violence-free life. Each year, thousands of
children in the Philippines are reported as victims of child abuse. Child abuse is a huge global
problem with a serious impact on the child's physical and mental health, well-being and
development throughout their lives. As such, it poses a problem for society in general. Child
abuse refers to the physical and emotional mistreatment, sexual abuse, neglect and negligent
treatment of children, as well as to their commercial or other exploitation. Child abuse is
generally divided into four different types of abuse which are: Physical Abuse, Sexual Abuse,
Emotional Abuse and Neglect. One common type of emotional abuse is verbal abuse. Verbal
abuse is an act that aims emotionally attacking a person by criticizing their appearance, their
personalities or what they associate themselves.
4
Background Of The Study
This research is to describe and attempt to understand the lived experiences of teenagers
who are verbally abused by their parents. It's to add insight on the subject of the area of verbally
abused teens and to bring in much needed in-depth understanding to a sensitive issue. Through
tackling this, new insights and perspectives can come from it.
Some teenagers have the unfortunate life of being verbally abused and had caused a dent
in their lives. In time, it will perhaps affect their transition to becoming adults. This research will
bring attention to a problem that might be more than what it would seem. This will also give
insight in what it's like for a teen to have this and gain understanding to the implications this
could have on them.
Research Problem/Objectives
Objectives Of The Study
General - Give some examples of what teenagers are going through while verbally
abused.
Specific - The overall aim of this study is to explain what teenagers experience while
being verbally abused by their parents and peers.
5
Scope & Limitations
Scope
In this research, the researchers will be able to know if Alabang has teenaged citizens that
have lived experience in being verbally abused by their own parents. Not only that, but to what
extent the verbal abuse is and how much it affects the lives of teens. The researchers will also
know how teens react, cope, or live with this abuse in their home.
Limitations
The researchers will not be able to ask every teen in Muntinlupa but only the Alabang
sectors. No other kinds of abuse are to be included in this research nor the parents are to be
involved as well. The researchers will refrain from having questions that would probably be too
sensitive, for having such will cause an undesirable action from the respondent. Regarding the
respondents, it is limited to the age range of 13 to 17 only. The researchers are to not take in
account race, ethnicity, gender, or any other background information and to also not include
verbal abuse outside of parental guidance.
Significance Of The Study
By doing this research, it will give an understanding to how adolescents live their lives
with verbal abuse. In a modern society, such acts should not be tolerated and must be looked at
deeper in multiple perspectives. It gives more weight to an underlying problem that could be a
6
potential cause of negative aspects in a person's life later on in adulthood, and soon, will not
work as a functioning citizen that could have been able to contribute to society. This research
goes into verbal abuse because of how much words can also affect a teen. It gives weight to it
considering it too can be a reason among other types of abuse.
Beneficiaries Of The Study
Teens
It will be helpful for the teens to overcome this issue. The teens would realized
what is happening, especially after knowing that verbal abuse has something to do with
mental behavior which might seem noticeable.
Parents
Parents will realize that the words they utter can affect a minors' (understanding)
mentality. In this research, parents will become more fully aware of what might happen
next after expressing distressful words.
Community
The society will benefit from this study after realizing the topic. The community
can make an organizations, associations, or clubs to fully understand the circumstances of
a teenaged individual.
Readers
Of course the readers can benefit from this research. The readers might know the
value and importance of acquiring the knowledge about verbal abuse.
7
Theoretical Framework
Erikson’s Theory and Verbal Abuse
Erikson’s Theory of Human Development (1963) was reviewed to provide an
account of what can happen when a child experiences a crisis at a certain stage of
development that is not resolved. In this study, Jesse, Ann and Susan have all
demonstrated behavioral, emotional and physiological symptoms in their childhood as
well as in their adult lives. The verbal abuse that these women experienced was present
throughout their childhood. The first stage of human development is birth to two years
(Erikson, as cited in Iwaniec, 1995). The main task in this stage is developing a sense of
trust versus mistrust. If not achieved, the development of an affectionate bond between
caregivers and children will be weak and insecure and interactions between parents and
children will often be aloof, detached, and at times hateful. The basic physical needs of
the women appeared to be met in infancy although there could have been a lack of
consistent and appropriate love shown by their abusive parent. Ann and Jesse reported
that their abusive parent did not hug them or say that they loved them. Susan stated that
she would go and give her dad a kiss goodnight because she was told to. “I don’t think
they kissed us. We kissed them goodnight. It was our ritual, our, our duty, our
obligation.” Her dad might be angry and say “I love you” so Susan said she received a
mixed message.
In the second stage of development (2-4 years) according to Erikson (as cited in
Iwaniec, 1995) a child is trying to develop autonomy. If parents reward successful actions
8
and do not shame the failures, a child’s sense of independence will be greater than their
sense of shame, self- doubt and inadequacy. Susan, Ann and Jesse all mentioned being
criticized as children and having a sense of shame and doubt. Susan still finds it difficult
to separate herself from her parents. The women question themselves and have difficulty
making decisions. Iwaniec (1995) maintains that children who experience this type of
abuse have a tendency to develop a negative self-image. These women all live with
feelings of inadequacy and have had to work on re-defining their self-concept. As
children they tried to live up to parental expectations but were often blamed for what
went wrong.
A sense of initiative is the third stage of development (4-6 years) (Erikson, as
cited in Iwaniec, 1995). The threat to this stage is if the parents ridicule a child’s natural
need to know and question. If the parent does not accept the child’s curiosity a sense of
guilt will develop. All three women mentioned feelings of guilt and shame and stated that
their abusive parent was often critical when speaking to them. They still feel this guilt.
All of them mentioned feeling guilty for speaking about their abusive parent.
The fourth developmental stage (ages 6-11) requires the child to develop a sense
of duty and accomplishment and a leaving behind of fantasy and play (Erikson, as cited
in Iwaniec, 1995). Children in this stage are developing academic and social
competencies. The main threat to achievement is excessive competition, personal
limitations or other conditions that lead to experiences of failure resulting in feelings of
inferiority and poor work habits. Jesse, Ann and Susan have always questioned whether
they measure up to other people and have had to work through feelings of inferiority they
all experienced. All three women did very well in school in terms of their academic
9
grades. Susan and Ann stated that they did it more for their abusive parent than for
themselves. Susan stated, “I think that Dad took a lot of pleasure in us achieving and I
probably did the best of all the kids I suppose.” Her sense of duty and accomplishment
was well-developed and she did not develop poor work habits. Susan also conveyed that
she always felt accepted by her peers at school. Jesse described herself as a “keener” in
elementary school but was teased by her peers because she was obese and often felt
isolated and sad. Ann had friends in elementary school but she experienced depression
and in grade two she was taking medication for the condition. These women were
productive in school but their home situations were less than ideal and it appears that
even though they succeeded in school, it was not enough to counter-act the negative
messages they were receiving at home to build up their self-worth. Other researchers
have written that emotional and/or verbally abused children often do poorly academically
in school (Glaser et al., as cited in Glaser, 2002; Iwaniec, 1995; Solomon & Serres,
1999). This was not supported in this study. Ann, Jesse and Susan were all excellent
students in grade school and all went on to post-secondary education.
In adolescence, (12-15 years), the characteristic to be achieved is a sense of
identity (Erikson, as cited in Iwaniec, 1995). The main risk to achievement at this stage is
the failure of society to provide clearly defined roles and standards and the development
of peer groups which provide clear but not always enviable roles and standards. If the
adolescent can combine various roles, abilities and values and see their connection with
past and future, the sense of personal identity will not lead to a feeling of role confusion.
Susan did not have a sense of her own identity as an adolescent. She was told what to do
and could not voice her own opinion. “We always did as we were told and asked how
10
high on the way up, I mean literally.” She declared, “You know your identity was not
encouraged at all.” The peer group was not influential in being able to offset the
messages she got from home. She never drank or smoked even though some of her
friends did. “It wouldn’t be good if we drank or smoked or anything out of line you
know.” Both Jesse and Ann were suicidal and depressed throughout adolescence. Their
friends provided a much needed support system for them. The main risk to achieving a
sense of who one is and what one’s role is was not society’s expectations or peer group
pressure for these women but the damaging messages they received from their abusive
parent. What they heard became a part of their identity. They all saw themselves as “bad”
kids. Ann expressed it this way, “Slut. That was more my identity as far as my dad was
concerned, anytime.” Ann did not think of the sexualized words her dad called her as
sexual abuse but more as verbal contemptuousness and name-calling. The consequences
of any type of abuse are often detrimental no matter what we choose to call the abuse.
Social Influence Theory
Social influence theory, as proposed by Kelman (1958), is that an individual’s attitudes,
beliefs, and subsequent actions or behaviours are influenced by referent others through three
processes: compliance, identification, and internalization.
Compliance is assumed to occur when individuals accept influence and adopt the
induced behavior to gain rewards (or, approval) and avoid punishments (or, disapproval). “The
satisfaction derived from compliance is due to the social effect of accepting influence.”
11
Identification is said to happen when individuals adopt the induced behavior in order to
create or maintain a desired and beneficial relationship to another person or a group. The
satisfaction occurs due to “the act of conforming.”
Internalization is assumed to occur when individuals accept influence after perceiving
the content of the induced behavior is rewarding in which the content indicates the opinions
and actions of others. It is also stated that individuals adopt the induced behavior realizing that
it is congruent with their value system. In this case, therefore, the satisfaction occurs due to
“the content of the new behavior.” (Kelman, H. C. 1958)
Social influence is the change in behavior that one person causes in another,
intentionally or unintentionally, as a result of the way the changed person perceives
themselves in relationship to the influencer, other people and society in general. Informational
influence comes into play when people are uncertain, either because stimuli are intrinsically
ambiguous or because there is social disagreement. Normative influence is an influence to
conform to the positive expectations of others. In terms of Kelman's typology, normative
influence leads to public compliance, whereas informational influence leads to private
acceptance
Social Influence Theory, proposed by Herbert Kelman (1958), is an individual’s attitudes,
beliefs, and subsequent actions or behaviors, it occur when one’s emotions, opinions, or
behaviors are affected by peers.
One of the three broad varieties of social influence theory is the compliance. Compliance
refers to a change in behavior that is requested by another person or group; the individual acted
in some way because others asked him or her to do so (but it was possible to refuse or decline.)
12
(Breckler, Olson, & Wiggins, 2006) Studying compliance is significant because it is a type of
social influence that affects our everyday behavior, especially social interactions. Social
psychologists view compliance as a means of social influence used to reach goals and attain
social or personal gains. Social psychology focuses on people as a whole and how thoughts,
feelings and behaviors allow individuals to attain compliance and/or make them vulnerable to
complying with the demands of others. Their gaining of or submission to compliance is
frequently influenced by construals. (i.e. an individual's interpretation of their social environment
and interactions) (Aronson, Elliot, Timothy D. Wilson, and Robin M. Akert. Social Psychology.
Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2010.)
Some people say that “words will never hurt you,” but anyone who has been on the
receiving end of verbal bullying knows that cruel words and scary threats can, indeed, be very
painful (Signe Whitson, L.S.W).
Bullying is pervasive and terribly harmful for bullies, victims, schools and communities
(Pepler and Craig, 2000). Bullying usually occurs within a broader social content and both
influences and is influenced by the attitudes and behaviors of other people. (Merrell et al., 2008;
Smith, Schneider, Smith, & Ananiadou, 2004; Ttofi & Farrington, 2011). Usually this involves a
person or group of people exerting their power over someone who feels less powerful
(https://www.headspace.org.au/friends-and-family/understanding-bullying-for-family-and-
friends/)
Environmental influences such as teachers’ attitude behaviour and supervisory routines
play a crucial role in determining the extent to which these problems will manifest themselves in
a classroom or a school. Lack of appropriate resources within schools is also associated with
13
higher levels of school bullying (Olweus, 1993; Pepler and Craig, 1997). Bullying often occurs
when there is little or no supervision, such as school playground lack of attention and warmth
toward to the person who being bullied. Bystanders of bullying can be anyone. A bystander is
someone who observes the bullying behavior but does nothing to help the victim or disrupt the
bullying behavior. The bystander can also be affected by the bullying behavior through feelings
of guilt or shame (Selekman & Vessey 2004). Secondary school students spend most of their
time with their age-mates than they do with their parents and teachers. Salawu (2003) described a
peer group as the group that the adolescence interacts and plays with within his/her immediate
environment. According to him, while in the group, the adolescence enjoys a free world, more
independent in thought and action and he/she has freedom to discuss matters of interest, which
may be contrary to the interest shared by adults. Thus, the peer group has a considerable
influence on a adolescence or child actions or inactions.
(http://www.academicjournals.org/journal/ERR/article-full-text/803428A50489). Students who
are targeted by bullies often have difficulty concentrating on their school work, and their
academic performance (Ballard et al., 1999).
Many victims of verbal bullying are affected in very real ways. Verbal bullying
can affect one’s self image, and affect someone in emotional and psychological ways and
can lead to low self-esteem, as well as depression and other problems. It can aggravate
problems that a victim may already be experiencing at home or in other places. In some
cases, verbal bullying can reach a point where the victim is so depressed, and wants to
escape so badly, that he or she may turn to substance abuse or – in some extreme cases –
suicide. In the end, words have a power all their own, and the realities of verbal bullying
can have very physical consequences, even if the aggressor never lays a finger on the
14
victim.(bullyingstatistics.org/content/verbal-bullying.html). Adolescence are often bullied
for looking or acting differently than their peers, and victims are targeted for physical
characteristics such as weight, size, color, or ethnicity as well as hairstyle and clothing
choices (Geiger & Fischer, 2006). At some point during adolescence, almost everybody
is harassed, teased, or even victimized by peers (Finkelhor, Ormrod, & Turner,2009;
Kochenderfer-Ladd & Ladd, 2001),and are highly susceptible to the influence of their
peers (Brechwald & Prinstein, 2011). Once they find their social position, adolescents
tend to adjust their behavior, attitudes, and beliefs to various group or collective norms.
Conceptual Framework
15

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4th Level Festival Supermall Filinvest Corporate City Alabang Muntinlupa City Tel. No. 771-0403 Telefax No.

Family Crisis : A Phenomenological Study About The Lived Experiences Of Verbally

Abused Teens By Their Parents and Peers In Informatics Computer Institute of

Festival Mall Alabang, Muntinlupa City

Festival Mall Alabang, Muntinlupa City

Background Of The Study

Objectives Of The Study

Scope & Limitations

Significance Of The Study

Beneficiaries Of The Study

Review Of Related Literature (By Subtopics)

References (APA Format)

Appendix A : Interview Guide

Appendix B : Reflexive Journal (Diary Journal of Bias)

This paper is a review of research on psychological and emotional abuse in interpersonal

treatment of children, as well as to their commercial or other exploitation. Child abuse is

personalities or what they associate themselves.

Background Of The Study

could have on them.

Objectives Of The Study

being verbally abused by their parents and peers.

Scope & Limitations

verbal abuse outside of parental guidance.

Significance Of The Study

considering it too can be a reason among other types of abuse.

Beneficiaries Of The Study

mental behavior which might seem noticeable.

next after expressing distressful words.

can make an organizations, associations, or clubs to fully understand the circumstances of

value and importance of acquiring the knowledge about verbal abuse.

Erikson’s Theory and Verbal Abuse

Erikson’s Theory of Human Development (1963) was reviewed to provide an

demonstrated behavioral, emotional and physiological symptoms in their childhood as

feelings of inadequacy and have had to work on re-defining their self-concept. As

A sense of initiative is the third stage of development (4-6 years) (Erikson, as

competencies. The main threat to achievement is excessive competition, personal

limitations or other conditions that lead to experiences of failure resulting in feelings of

students in grade school and all went on to post-secondary education.

In adolescence, (12-15 years), the characteristic to be achieved is a sense of

Social Influence Theory

Social influence theory, as proposed by Kelman (1958), is that an individual’s attitudes,

processes: compliance, identification, and internalization.

satisfaction occurs due to “the act of conforming.”

Internalization is assumed to occur when individuals accept influence after perceiving

“the content of the new behavior.” (Kelman, H. C. 1958)

intentionally or unintentionally, as a result of the way the changed person perceives

ambiguous or because there is social disagreement. Normative influence is an influence to

conform to the positive expectations of others. In terms of Kelman's typology, normative

influence leads to public compliance, whereas informational influence leads to private

Social Influence Theory, proposed by Herbert Kelman (1958), is an individual’s attitudes,

behaviors are affected by peers.

complying with the demands of others. Their gaining of or submission to compliance is

frequently influenced by construals. (i.e. an individual's interpretation of their social environment

Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2010.)

painful (Signe Whitson, L.S.W).

Environmental influences such as teachers’ attitude behaviour and supervisory routines

influence on a adolescence or child actions or inactions.

(http://www.academicjournals.org/journal/ERR/article-full-text/803428A50489). Students who

academic performance (Ballard et al., 1999).

is harassed, teased, or even victimized by peers (Finkelhor, Ormrod, & Turner,2009;

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