Due to the increase in domestic violence in many families, psychologists are helping affected children deal with their emotional captivity using various methods. Over the years there has been a drastic increase in cases of domestic violence. In many cases, children are most affected by involvement in violent disputes. Psychologists study the behaviors of affected children and develop a treatment plan aimed at the child's overall health. Psychologists provide the best treatment by immersing themselves in the child's situation and connecting with what they see. Furthermore, psychologists use the strategy of taking small steps in the overall treatment. Unfortunately, over the years, there has been an increase in the number of cases that psychologists examine each year. Domestic violence has increased over the years and has become a major problem for children who experience it. In a study organized by David Wolfe, researchers concluded that from 1990 to 1993 there was an increase of 256,112 cases of child abuse (Wolfe11). In a more recent assessment of domestic violence conducted by Louise Gerdes, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) conducted an assessment of Child Protective Services (CPS) and reported that domestic abuse and Neglect caused the deaths of 1,760 children in 2007 compared to 1,460 in 2005 (Gerdes 129-130). The abandonment to which these children are subjected can only be classified as child abuse. With all these cases of abuse, one might wonder how this abuse can be carried out against the well-being of the child. There are various forms of child abuse. “Family Violence across the Lifespan” provides multiple scenarios for how child abuse is viewed (Barnett 151). Chil......middle of paper......ent. New York: Haworth Maltreatment & Trauma, 2000. Print.Gerdes, Louise I. Domestic Violence: Series of Opposing Views. Detroit: Greenhaven, 2012. Print.Haley, John and Wendy Stein. The truth about abuse. New York: Facts on File, 2005. Print.Howe, David. Child abuse and neglect: attachment, development and intervention. Basingstoke, Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan, 2005. Print.Myers, John E.B., Lucy Berliner, John Briere, C. Terry Hendrix, Carole Jenny, and Theresa A. Reid. The APSAC Handbook on Child Abuse, Second Edition. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 2002. Print.Tobin, Pnina, and Sue Levinson Kessner. Keeping Children Safe: A Handbook for Preventing Child Sexual Abuse. Alameda, CA: Hunter House, 2002. Print.Wolfe, David A. Child Abuse: Implications for Child Development and Psychopathology. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 1999. Print.