Emotional Child Abuse
Emotional Child Abuse
By: Goddess Johnson
The term emotional child abuse didn't even exist when I was growing up. But that didn't change the devastating outcome--the effects were severe, ever-present, and followed me into adulthood. Emotional abuse is the cornerstone of all the abuses because emotional abuse is always present during physical child abuse, child neglect, and sexual child abuse, and it is the only abuse that can stand on its own. It does not have to accompany any of the other abuses.
What Is Emotional Abuse?
Emotional child abuse is defined as the constant attack of a child or youth by an adult that negatively affects the child or youth's self-worth. It is important to note here the word 'constant'. With emotional abuse, the child/youth receives only negative messages, nothing positive. Emotional child abuse is maltreatment which results in impaired psychological growth and development. It involves words, actions, and indifference Abusers constantly reject, ignore, belittle, dominate, and criticize the victims. This form of abuse may occur with or without physical abuse, but there is often an overlap.
Examples of emotional child abuse are verbal abuse;
a.excessive demands on a child’s performance;
b. penalizing a child for positive, normal behavior (smiling, mobility, exploration, vocalization, manipulation of objects);
c. discouraging caregiver and infant attachment;
d.penalizing a child for demonstrating signs of positive self-esteem;
e.penalizing a child for using interpersonal skills needed for adequate performance in school and peer groups. In addition frequently exposing children to family violence and unwillingness or inability to provide affection or stimulation for the child in the course of daily care may also result in emotional abuse.
How is it identified?
Although emotional abuse can hurt as much as physical abuse, it can be harder to identify because the marks are left on the inside instead of the outside. Not
By: Goddess Johnson
The term emotional child abuse didn't even exist when I was growing up. But that didn't change the devastating outcome--the effects were severe, ever-present, and followed me into adulthood. Emotional abuse is the cornerstone of all the abuses because emotional abuse is always present during physical child abuse, child neglect, and sexual child abuse, and it is the only abuse that can stand on its own. It does not have to accompany any of the other abuses.
What Is Emotional Abuse?
Emotional child abuse is defined as the constant attack of a child or youth by an adult that negatively affects the child or youth's self-worth. It is important to note here the word 'constant'. With emotional abuse, the child/youth receives only negative messages, nothing positive. Emotional child abuse is maltreatment which results in impaired psychological growth and development. It involves words, actions, and indifference Abusers constantly reject, ignore, belittle, dominate, and criticize the victims. This form of abuse may occur with or without physical abuse, but there is often an overlap.
Examples of emotional child abuse are verbal abuse;
a.excessive demands on a child’s performance;
b. penalizing a child for positive, normal behavior (smiling, mobility, exploration, vocalization, manipulation of objects);
c. discouraging caregiver and infant attachment;
d.penalizing a child for demonstrating signs of positive self-esteem;
e.penalizing a child for using interpersonal skills needed for adequate performance in school and peer groups. In addition frequently exposing children to family violence and unwillingness or inability to provide affection or stimulation for the child in the course of daily care may also result in emotional abuse.
How is it identified?
Although emotional abuse can hurt as much as physical abuse, it can be harder to identify because the marks are left on the inside instead of the outside. Not
References: Besharov, D. J. (1990). Recognizing child abuse: A guide for the concerned. New York: The Free Press. Dubowitz, Howard. (1991). "The Impact of Child Maltreatment on Health." The Effects of Child Abuse and Neglect. Starr, Raymond H. Jr., and David A. Wolfe, ed. New York, NY: The Guilford Press. Feild, T., and Winterfeld, A. (2003). Guidelines on abuse—Emotional abuse. Tough problems, tough choices: Guidelines for needs-based service planning in child welfare. Englewood, CO: American Humane and Casey Outcomes and Decision-Making Project. Garbarino, J., & Garbarino, A. (1994). Emotional maltreatment of children. Chicago: National Committee to Prevent Child Abuse, 2nd Ed. Glaser, D. (2002, June). Emotional abuse and neglect (psychological maltreatment): A conceptual framework. Child Abuse & Neglect, 26, 697-714. . Goddard, C. (1998), "When does the media coverage of child protection amount to child abuse", paper presented at the Kids First: Agenda for Change Conference, 2-3 April, Melbourne, p37. Korfmacher, J. Emotional Neglect: Being Hurt by What Is Not There. (Chicago, National Committee to Prevent Child Abuse, 1998). Kent, A. & Waller, G. “The impact of childhood emotional abuse: an extension of the Child Abuse and Trauma Scale.” Child Abuse and Neglect. May, 1998; 22(5): 393-399.