The book discussed in this article is The Lost Boy by Dave Pelzer. This book is the sequel to his first book A Child Called “It”. Pelzer's life story is one of the worst documented cases of child abuse. In her books she describes what she experienced in her life as abuse from her mother. The book The Lost Boy is specifically about what he experienced from the ages of nine to 18. In the book she talks about what she experienced when she was in the child welfare and foster care system. This article will examine the bio-psycho-socio-spiritual perspective (Bostrom, 2005), present some of the problems, and introduce potential solutions and interventions that could have been helpful to Pelzer's social worker as well as anyone who could have potentially helped Pelzer in that moment of need. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay It is evident to anyone who has read any of Pelzer's books that what he suffered as a child was abuse and neglect. Child abuse and neglect, as defined by the federal Child Abuse Prevention & Treatment Act, means any recent act or failure to act by a parent or guardian that results in death, serious physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse or exploitation; or an act or omission to act that prevents an imminent risk of serious harm (What is Child Abuse, 2003). According to the same article, there are four main types of child maltreatment; physical abuse, neglect, sexual abuse and emotional abuse. Three of these will be discussed in this article as they relate to what Pelzer experienced and talks about in his book. The first perspective of the bio-psycho-socio-spiritual approach is biological. In the book Pelzer describes the moment he was taken to the hospital after being saved by the "Mother". He describes the appearance of his body: “My legs and arms were a combination of yellow and brown. dark circles of purple bruises faded over new rings of blue bruises, where I was grabbed, punched, or slammed onto the kitchen floor” (Pelzer, 1997, p.39). This quote describes the physical abuse he suffered. According to the Child Welfare Information Gateway, physical abuse is a non-accidental physical injury (ranging from minor bruises to serious fractures or death) resulting from punching, kicking, hitting... or other harm to a child, inflicted by a parent , carer or other person who has responsibility for the child (2013). Pelzer also describes how both his mother and father drank excessively. “The battle begins upstairs. Since it's after four in the afternoon, I know both my parents are drunk” (Pelzer, 1997, p.5). According to the Child Welfare Information Gateway, parental substance abuse is a risk factor for maltreatment and child welfare involvement (2014). Knowing this and knowing that Pelzer's parents drink heavily, this shows that substance abuse plays a role in child maltreatment. According to the same article, the effects of parental substance abuse on children can be both indirect and direct (2014). and direct meaning through a chaotic living environment, which Pelzer was experiencing because he lived in the basement without a bed, blanket or pillow. direct meaning through physical or sexual abuse, which he suffered physical abuse. The perspective following the bio-psycho-social-spiritual evaluation is the psychological perspective. One of the main aspects of the psychological perspective is emotional abuse. As stated in the article What is Child Abuse, emotional abuse is a pattern of behavior that undermines a child's emotional development or sense of self-worth(2013). “Was it really mom's fault? Maybe I deserved everything I got over the years” (Pelzer, 1997, p.47). This quote from the book shows how Pelzer questions whether it was his fault and whether he deserved everything that happened to him throughout his life.years. This ties into the concept that children often blame themselves, self-blame, for what they are going through. This is achieved through the perpetrator's endless attempts to brainwash the child into believing that he deserves everything he is getting. This is probably the greatest tool used by offenders to emotionally and psychologically abuse children because once they achieve this they can let go of any guilt or remorse they may have. Another way Pelzer was treated psychologically was by being neglected. As stated in the same article, neglect is defined as the failure of a parent, caregiver, or guardian to provide for a child's basic needs. This was evident in the book because Pelzer described how his mother barely gave him anything and how he would have to steal food or search for food in garbage cans. he also didn't give clothes or showers, so he always wore the same worn and dirty clothes every day. another example of the psychological perspective is how Pelzer was so traumatized by physical abuse that every time someone touched him, he would retreat. “I retreated into my protective position” (Pelzer, 1997, p.44). This shows how he always got defensive when it came to people touching him because in his head he was ready to get hit by his mother. He would expect physical punishment every time he was touched. The next aspect of bio-psycho-socio-spiritual assessment is the social perspective of looking at things. In the book Pelzer talks a little about his relationship with his father. He says his father was his hero. “His work as a firefighter in San Francisco, his years of drinking and his strained relationship with his mother have taken a toll on him. Once my superhero and known for his courageous efforts in saving children from burning buildings, Dad is now a defeated man” (Pelzer, 1997, p.7). The man she once admired is no longer her superhero. another affair he had was with Mrs. Gold, his social worker. From the moment Pelzer met her he became attached to her. He looked forward to all their meetings. He was his favorite person to see every day. “She became my best friend. after school, whenever I saw her car, I would run down the hall and break into Aunt Mary's house, knowing that Miss Gold had come to visit me. We always ended our sessions with a long hug” (Pelzer, 1997, p. 47). In a way it became his safe haven. His go-to person in times of need and the person he can trust. Even though, at one point, he lied to her and hurt her. “I thought about how kind Mrs. Gold had been throughout everything. I suddenly realized the terrible position I had just put her in. I never intended to hurt anyone, especially Mrs. Gold” (Pelzer, 1997, p.59). This happened after one of their talking sessions, and Pelzer felt remorse for the pain he might have caused his mother and siblings. He started telling Mrs. Gold that he had made it all up and that he was lying. This made Mrs. Gold burst into tears. Pelzer was conflicted about telling the truth (Jones, 2006). even though he knew that he was the only child in the family to suffer abuse, Cinderella syndrome (Doyle & Timms, 2014), he still felt guilty about telling people their “secret.”this way of thinking lasted until the day of the trial where he made a very important decision, to tell the truth or lie and say that he had made it all up. The day of the decision hearing (Jones, 2006), where the judge decides whether the child will be returned home or placed in the care of the court, placement decision (Jones, 2006). After all, he decided to tell the truth, which gave him the freedom he so deserved. The final aspect of the bio-psycho-social-spiritual assessment is the spiritual perspective. Pelzer goes through many changes throughout the book. One big change that happened was leaving his home and being placed in foster care. “What was once my sanctuary soon became a prison that prevented me from playing in my adopted home” (Pelzer, 1997, p.81). This shows the change that is happening within him. He no longer sees things the same way. His vision of the world he wants to live in is changing (Doyle & Timms, 2014). Another big change in him was the need to be accepted by others, by whatever means necessary. “I became a legend within the group. I was fully aware that what I was doing was wrong. I also knew that some of the older guys were using me, but I didn't care. After years of isolation I was finally accepted into a group (Pelzer, 1997, p.86). Being accepted by others became an obsession for him. All he wanted was to be accepted by others around him, not to be the outcast or the weird one, and he was willing to steal to be accepted. “I remember August 21, 1973 as my day on the bike. that day was the first time I felt I was a normal child, caught up in the splendor of an endless day” (Pelzer, 1997, p.107). This quote shows a huge change in him. For once in his life he is a normal boy. He also begins a new change in his life where he slowly begins to develop a sense of worth. There are moments in the book where it is clear that the way things were handled was completely wrong and not helpful. One specific moment was when Pelzer was taken to a psychiatrist to help him deal with the change from being abused by his mother to being in a foster home. You might think that a psychiatrist would do anything to help your child feel wanted and understood. In Pelzer's case this was not the case. As soon as the psychiatrist entered the room where Pelzer was, he called Pelzer by the wrong name. Pelzer immediately felt uncomfortable. He continued to call him by the wrong name the entire time they spoke, even after Pelzer corrected him multiple times. Furthermore, instead of first gaining the patient's trust by talking to him about normal things and without delving into why he is there, he asks questions and comments like “Do you hate your mother?”, “Why do you think your mother is there?” Did your mother beat you like that?”, and “You should hate your mother”. This way of dealing with a recently abused child is not the right way to deal with things at all. Children need to be approached with care and with the aim of gaining their trust so that they can slowly start to feel uncomfortable and talk to them about the traumatic events they have experienced. Later in the book Pelzer is informed that the psychiatrist himself reported having violent tendencies and that he even attempted to lash out at him, which was not entirely true. This shows that even professionals who work in the industry and who many trust to do the right thing can sometimes be an obstacle to improving a child's life. One way to prevent this from happening again is to evaluate professionals who work with children who have been abused.