Human Violence on Animals, a Possible Precursor to Child Antisocial Personality Disorder (CAPD), the Implication for Social Work Education in Nigeria – a study of Enugu State.
There is usually a link between mental health and the health of animal and animal companionship because animal forms part of the biopsychosocial environment of man. The aim of veterinary social work, therefore, is to care for people as they traverse the habitually difficult choices needed to care for animals and their survival, man's sanity, and survival for food safety and environmental protection; hence man's violence to animals is a global phenomenon sometimes has a direct effect on the health and welfare of man. This violence which can be either passive or active and in some cases a combination of both brings with it unimaginable pain, and discomfort not only to the animals but to other human beings who witness these atrocious acts to these animals. Violence, especially in a domestic environment directed towards animals might cause varying degree of multiplier effects for children if they are often exposed to it. Animal violence is one of the three adolescent behaviors called the "homicidal triad" (Enuresis, animal violence, and fire-setting) which may lead to child anti-social personality disorder (CAPD) in children. This study explored human violence on animals, a possible precursor to child antisocial personality disorder (CAPD) in Enugu State, Nigeria. Sixty respondents, including 6 Veterinary Desk Officers, 6 social workers and 48 community people, across six local government areas participated in the study. Three different categories of FGDs (community people in each of the local government area, veterinary desk officers and social workers) were used to generate data from the respondents. Findings show that children developed psychological complications as a result of human violence to animals. These psychological complications include: anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and violent behaviours towards animals, other children and family members. The findings of this study have implications for social work education in Nigeria and therefore advocated for the national universities commission (NUC) in Nigeria to introduce veterinary social work in Nigeria's social work benchmark academic standard (BMAS) curriculum for Social work education in Nigerian universities and also emphasizes the need to teach about the prominence of better treatment of animals in general knowledge classes of secondary schools in Nigeria.