n important part of 'children's work' is developing an 'authentic' sense of who one is, a core identity. Briere says that "enen more important that a child's self-evaluation (self-esteem) is the likelihood that severe child maltreatment may interfere with the child's access to a sense of self --whether or not she or he can refer to, and operate from, an ingternal awareness of personal existence that is stable across contexts, experiences , and affects (emotions). THis term Briere uses to describe this type of response to child maltreatment is: 

 Disengagement 

Impaired Self-reference

Abuse Dichotomy 

Dissociation