Verbal abuse can be as harmful to children as physical abuse
Research shows child abuse has turned around this century
A new study in the journal BMJ Open suggests that cruel words can be as harmful as physical abuse in childhood. Research found that physical abuse increases the risk of mental health problems in adults by 50%, while verbal abuse raises this risk to 60%.
While the prevalence of physical abuse has decreased to 10% in people born after 2000, compared to 20% for those born between 1950 and 1979, verbal abuse has increased significantly, reflecting a growing shift in the types of abuse children experience.
Numbers
In the United States, more than 60% of people who participated in the Child Abuse and Development Survey Youth Risk from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported experiencing emotional abuse, and 31.8% reported physical abuse. The survey mentioned emotional abuse rather than verbal abuse, but asked about similar behaviors as the most recent study. In this latest analysis, researchers analyzed data from more than 20,000 adults in seven different studies conducted in England and Wales. The study team assessed childhood experiences using the Adverse Childhood Experiences tool and components of adult mental health using the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale, CNN reported.
The study's senior author, Dr. Mark Bellis, a professor of public health and behavioral sciences at Liverpool John Moores University in the United Kingdom, noted that the “findings suggest that verbal abuse in childhood can leave scars on mental health that are as deep and lasting as those caused by physical abuse.”
Link of childhood verbal abuse to trauma
Ultimately, the researchers say that verbal abuse can leave lasting scars on children's mental health, altering their perception of themselves and the world around them. This type of abuse can include insults, criticism, and humiliation.
However, because it's based on observational data, researchers can't say with certainty that verbal abuse in childhood causes poorer mental health in adulthood, only that there is a connection between the two.
Call for Awareness
Experts stress the need to raise awareness about verbal abuse and its impact. Promoting healthy environments and educating parents about emotional regulation and effective communication can be key to preventing long-term damage to children's mental health.