Parents, teachers, coaches, and other adults who shout at, denigrate, or verbally threaten children can have a detrimental impact on their development, comparable to the effects of sexual or physical abuse, according to a recent study.
Published in the journal Child Abuse & Neglect, this study conducted a thorough analysis of existing literature on the subject, reviewing 166 previous studies to provide comprehensive insights.
The authors of the study propose that verbal abuse during childhood should be recognized as a distinct form of maltreatment in order to enhance prevention efforts.
Currently, child maltreatment is classified into four categories: physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse (which includes verbal abuse), and neglect. This study has the potential to inform strategies aimed at prevention and treatment.
Unlike other forms of emotional abuse such as indifference, silent treatment, and exposure to domestic violence, researchers categorize verbal abuse as more overt and warranting special attention.
Commissioned by Words Matter, a British charity dedicated to ending verbal abuse and improving children's health, this study was conducted by researchers from Wingate University in North Carolina and University College London.
Lead author Professor Shanta Dube, who directs Wingate University's Master of Public Health Program, emphasized the urgent need to acknowledge childhood verbal abuse as a subtype of abuse due to its lifelong negative consequences.
The study examined the impact of shouting by adults, including parents, teachers, and coaches, and cited several papers revealing the enduring effects of childhood verbal abuse. These effects can manifest as mental distress, such as depression and anger; externalizing symptoms, such as engaging in criminal behavior, substance abuse, or perpetrating abuse; and physical health outcomes, such as obesity or respiratory diseases.
Concerns surrounding unreported child abuse persist despite easing Covid restrictions, highlighting the critical importance of comprehending the true extent and impact of childhood verbal abuse, as emphasized by Jessica Bondy, the founder of Words Matter.
Bondy states, "All adults get overloaded sometimes and say things unintentionally. We have to work collectively to devise ways to recognize these actions and end childhood verbal abuse by adults so children can flourish."
Furthermore, the study suggests a potentially significant shift in the prevalence of childhood abuse. While instances of physical and sexual abuse have declined, the incidence of childhood emotional abuse, including verbal abuse, has increased. This finding is supported by the World Health Organization's report from 2014 and four other papers referenced in the study.
To effectively address childhood verbal abuse, the study underscores the need for consistent and universally accepted definitions of this form of abuse, which would enable accurate measurement of its prevalence and impact. With this knowledge, appropriate interventions can be developed.
Resources available on the Words Matter website advocate for adults to refrain from shouting, insulting, belittling, or name-calling when communicating with children. Additionally, adults are encouraged to think before speaking and to invest time in repairing the relationship with the child after hurtful incidents.
Elizabeth Gershoff, a professor specializing in human development and family sciences at the University of Texas at Austin, stresses that critique should be avoided while yelling, and she also highlights the importance of considering the audience. Toddlers, for example, tend to absorb the frustration expressed during yelling without fully understanding its substance, while different children may respond in diverse ways to being yelled at.
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