Children can be hurt just as badly by a tongue or a cold shoulder as by a fist. Although physical abuse is easier to spot, psychological abuse is not an uncommon phenomenon. In some ways it is more dangerous than physical abuse, because an abuser may feel that since he has not physically harmed his child, he is not abusing him.
Definition
The terms mental abuse, emotional abuse and psychological abuse are often used interchangeably. Steven W. Kairys and Charles F. Johnson of the Committee on Child Abuse and Neglect define psychological child abuse as a pattern of unhealthy interactions between a parent or other caregiver and a child. It may be characterized by verbal abuse, actions that fall short of physical abuse, or neglectful contempt. The child may be terrorized, exploited or belittled. The short-term results are that the child feels unloved, defective, worthless, or valued only as an instrument to meet others' needs.
Root Causes
Many factors can cause psychological child abuse. An authoritarian parenting style or limited parenting skills often contribute to the problem. Substance abuse, such as alcoholism or drug abuse, is also strongly correlated. Mental illness and dysfunctional family relationships also play a role. Abusive patterns are often triggered by contentious divorces. Children who are less valued because they were unplanned or because they are handicapped are at a particularly high risk of abuse.
Extent
Studies vary in their estimate of the frequency of psychological child abuse. A study at Florida State University led by psychology professor Natalie Sachs-Ericsson indicated that the rate of verbal abuse is nearly 30 percent, while a study administered by the National Center of Child Abuse and Neglect found the rate of all types of psychological abuse is only 6.1 percent. The disparities in this study may be related to differences in what was measured--the Florida State study's definition of abuse included adults who reported only occasional verbal abuse as a child.
Long-Term Results
Psychological abuse can scar a child for life. Adults who suffered abuse as a child suffer higher rates of anxiety and depression, and tend to be highly self-critical. Abuse can also cause low self-esteem, anorexia, bulimia,alcoholism, drug abuse, social problems, sexual problems, stunted moral development and suicide.
Treatment
Sachs-Ericsson extols the benefits of cognitive behavioral therapy for adult victims, especially those who are highly self-critical. Cognitive behavioral therapy teaches victims to develop an awareness of their own negative thinking patterns, and to intervene in their thought life to replace these toxic patterns with more nourishing, self-supporting patterns. These new thinking patterns are then used to change self-destructive behavior.
