Cumulative harm refers to the effects of an accumulation of adverse experiences in a child's life. An understanding of cumulative harm and its integration into practice frameworks, legislation, policy and service delivery is hailed as an imperative of critical social concern and has been demanded by researchers, practitioners, commissioners and coroners. However, there is minimal research exploring the nature and defining qualities of cumulative harm and the implications for individuals in adulthood. The present study uses interpretive phenomenological analysis to explore the lived experiences of cumulative harm in a sample of helping professionals. The findings of this study contribute knowledge to the definitions and typologies of child abuse, neglect and adversity, and draw on empirical evidence to broaden the scope of what constitutes childhood maltreatment. Further, the findings catalyse a paradigm shift that positions accumulation as a distinct harm type and clarifies the qualities which embody cumulative harm: persistent dysfunction, dysregulation, disadvantage and disconnection.

中文翻译：

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当数量呈现出其自身的质量时：对累积伤害的生活经历的回顾性探索

累积伤害是指儿童生活中不良经历累积的影响。了解累积伤害并将其纳入实践框架、立法、政策和服务提供，被誉为社会关注的当务之急，也是研究人员、从业人员、专员和验尸官的要求。然而，很少有研究探索累积伤害的性质和定义品质以及对成年个体的影响。本研究使用解释现象学分析来探索帮助专业人员样本中累积伤害的生活经历。这项研究的结果为虐待儿童、忽视和逆境的定义和类型提供了知识，并利用经验证据扩大儿童虐待的范围。此外，研究结果促进了范式转变，将积累定位为一种独特的伤害类型，并阐明了体现累积伤害的品质：持续功能障碍、失调、劣势和脱节。