When someone thinks of child abuse they think of the physical and sexual abuse that can happen, but what most people do not think of is the emotional and psychological abuse that happens. Just because emotional abuse is not seen as readily as physical abuse does not mean that it does not happen. Physical pain can go away but emotional hurt may never go away.
During the research for this paper it was expected to find the effects of severe emotional abuse and what is currently being done about it. Although, this was not the case, the majority of studies were on the effect of sexual or physical abuse. Though, there were studies done that included emotional abuse in relation to physical abuse. These articles are the bulk of what is used for this paper. Physical and sexual abuse can severely harm a child but emotional scars from emotional and psychological abuse will last a life time long after physical scars are healed.
Definitions
Emotional Abuse
Emotional abuse is the intentional use of words or actions that causes harm that impedes the psychological development of a child (Junewicz, 1983). In other words, it is intentionally insulting or verbally mistreating the child with the intention of harming the child's self esteem. An example of such abuse would when a mother and a daughter are talking with a neighbor and the neighbor is going on about her daughter and how helpful she is. When the neighbor leaves the mother turns to her daughter and says, “I wished I could have said something like that about you.” This was intentionally said to make the child to feel like she was unhelpful and a “bad” child.
Emotional Neglect
On the other hand, emotional neglect is the unresponsiveness of parents to their child's psychological needs (Junewicz, 1983). It can also be the result of the parental unconcern or lack of knowledge of abuse that the child is suffering. Neglect may not be the intentional overlooking of the child's needs, but the inability to recognize the necessary needs of the child.
Effects of Emotional Abuse and Neglect
Effects in Childhood
The effects of emotional abuse in childhood can range from academic problems to psychological problems. Junewicz (1983) found that 16 children from 11 families, who abused drugs and alcohol, were abused or neglected. Most of the problems that were reported of these children came from school officials. The problems that were reported were that the children would often come to school tired, inappropriately dressed, and that they day dreamed. Also, it was reported that these children had trouble keeping up with school work and keeping age-appropriate relationships. Junewicz also found psychological problems in children who had suffered abuse. Eighteen children from a group of 9 families, where all the children were emotionally abused, reported that the children exhibited emotionally disturbed behaviors. The behaviors that were reported were depressive episodes, suicide attempts, and psychotic episodes.
Children were also found to be unhappy, especially frightened, distressed or anxious, and exhibit low self-esteems (Glaser, 2002). Glaser also reported that children were also found to exhibit antisocial behaviors, specifically aggression, oppositional, attention seeking, and withdrawn. It was also reported that children who experienced early emotional neglect were more likely to have attachment problems. It was shown that at 12 months children were securely attached to their mothers but by 18 months they began to show to have an anxious attachment (Hildyard & Wolfe, 2002). Hildyard and Wolfe also found that children suffering from neglect often see themselves as unworthy to love and others would just reject them. In fact, neglected children tended to hold more negative self-representations.
Early social development (infant to preschool aged children) was also found to have been harmed (Hildyard & Wolfe, 2002). It was found that between 3 and 6 months of age the rate of feeding and playing decreased. Also, preschool aged children were found to be more isolated during play with their siblings and more withdrawn when they were with their mothers. It was also found that children's emotional development is also impaired due to emotional neglect. This article continued on to say that neglected and abused children showed low self-esteems. What was interesting was that these children did not show a sense of humor. Children continue to show impairment in their cognitive, social and emotional development. They have more academic problems and they continue to tend to be more socially withdrawn (Hildyard & Wolfe, 2002).
Effects in Adulthood
Adults who were abused or neglected as children are more likely to engage in adult criminal behavior or violent behavior. Also, there seems to be a link between childhood neglect, and abuse and adult diagnoses of a personality disorder (Hildyard & Wolfe, 2002). Bifulco, Moran, Baines, Bunn, and Stanford (2002) studied the prevalence of adult mental disorders from those who were abused and neglected as children. They hypothesized that the more severe childhood trauma that was experienced would increase the likelihood of depression or suicidality. Their study consisted of 204 women who were selected from a questionnaire and were then interviewed intensively of their childhood experiences and mental disorder. An interview of their childhood included different experiences including psychological abuse. They assessed clinical depression and used the criteria of the DSM-III for major depression. They also included suicidal plans and acts in the assessment of depression. It was found that nearly all of the forms of childhood abuse were significantly related to adult depression.
Mazzeo and Espelage (2002) studied the association of childhood abuse and eating disorders in undergraduate women. It was reported that the rate of eating disorders was significantly higher in those who reported emotional or physical abuse. It was also reported that women who currently have an eating disorder were more likely to report having experienced a childhood abuse. Mazzeo and Espelage also mentioned that there seems to be a correlation between depressive symptoms and eating disorders. Although the association of depression and eating disorders occur with a history of childhood abuse or neglect, it should still be acknowledged that both those who suffered abuse in childhood and those who currently have an eating disorder both suffer from depression.
Protective Measures for Children
Often the families who emotionally abuse or neglect their children do not become known to protection agencies. Junewicz (1983) mentioned at the end of his article the imperativeness of providing help and protection to children who have been recognized as being emotionally abused or neglected. It is imperative to get help, not only for the children involved, but also for all of the members of the family. Junewicz gave suggestions to what should be done for the families: keep notes on the observations, reach out to child to see if they experience distress, contact the parents to try to make them what is happening, and, if necessary, contact protective services.
Another article studied possible interventions for parents who are at risk for becoming abusive parents. In this study, they assigned graduate students in developmental and clinical child psychology as the therapists for parent training. The parent training provided modeling and rehearsal to increase and improve the parent's frequency and quality of social rewards. This was also used to try to decrease the use verbal behavior, such as criticism. Through a questionnaire that distributed after the parent training the parents reported that it had helped them to be better parents (Wolfe, Edwards, Manion, & Koverola, 1988).
Conclusion
The majority of articles on abuse and neglect of children were on sexual or physical abuse. The few studies that had mentioned emotional abuse mentioned it along side physical abuse. Although, Glaser (2002) mentioned that emotional abuse can and does happen by itself. As it was in the case of my family, my mom was never physically abused but she was abused but it was never discovered. The study of emotional abuse and neglect is not studied thoroughly enough. Glaser also mentioned some reasons for the lack of intervention, which in part, could be the difficulty of defining emotional abuse. Another difficulty is that often emotional abuse does not cause physical harm. Few cases of emotional abuse are ever recognized or intervened and could cause just as harmful as physical abuse.
References
Bifulco, A., Moran, P.M., Baines, R., Bunn, A., & Stanford, K. (2002). Exploring psychological abuse in childhood: II. Associations with other abuse and adult clinical depression. Bulletin of the Menninger Clinic, 66, 241-258.
Glaser, D. (2002). Emotional abuse and neglect (psychological maltreatment): a conceptual framework. Child Abuse and Neglect, 26, 697-714.
Hildyard, K. L., & Wolfe, D. A. (2002). Child neglect: developmental issues and outcomes. Child Abuse and Neglect, 26, 679-695.
Junewicz, W. J. (1983). A protective posture toward emotional neglect and abuse. Child Welfare, 62, 243-252.
Mazzeo, S. E., & Espelage, D. L. (2002). Association between childhood physical and emotional abuse and disordered eating behaviors in female undergraduates: An investigation of the mediating role of Alexithymia and Depression. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 49, 86-100.
Wolfe, D. A., Edwards, B., Manion, I., & Koverola, C. (1988). Early intervention for parents at risk of child abuse and neglect: A preliminary investigation. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 56, 40-47.
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