Silent Screams: How Yelling Affects Children's Mental Health - A New Study

Silent Screams: How Yelling Affects Children's Mental Health - A New Study

Silent Screams: How Yelling Affects Children's Mental Health - A New Study

Parents or caregivers who yell at their kids could be doing long-term harm to their kids’ psyches, new research suggests.

Introduction

Yelling and screaming at children, commonly known as "childhood verbal abuse" (CVA), has been a topic of concern for many parents. Recent research conducted by scholars from Wingate University in North Carolina and University College London sheds light on the profound effects of such behavior on children's mental health. This article explores the key findings of this study and its implications.

The Four Types of Child Maltreatment

Before delving into the study's details, it's essential to understand the four general types of child maltreatment: physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, and neglect. The focus of the study is on CVA, which falls under the emotional abuse category and includes behaviors like shouting, yelling, denigrating the child, and verbal threats.

Verbal Abuse: More Damaging Than You Think

The study's selection criteria were stringent, encompassing verbal abuse, verbal aggression, verbal hostility, emotional abuse, verbal violence, harsh verbal discipline, and verbal assault. The researchers aimed to highlight that these actions can be as detrimental to a child's development as other forms of maltreatment, such as physical and sexual abuse.

Dr. Zachary Ginder, a psychological consultant, emphasized that emotional abuse, including child verbal abuse, often goes unnoticed due to its lack of visibility outside closed environments. Verbal abuse is not limited to loud yelling and screaming; it can also include various forms of verbal intimidation, hostility, or degradation. It's crucial to recognize that verbal abuse, even if generational, should never be taken lightly.

The Perpetrators

The study identified various adult perpetrators, with parents being the most common (76.5%). Other adults/caregivers in the home, mothers, teachers, coaches, police, and multiple individuals also played roles in childhood verbal abuse. These adults engaged in various forms of abuse, including criticism, name-calling, ridiculing, rejecting, scolding, and picking on the child.

Alarming Outcomes

The consequences of childhood verbal abuse are far-reaching. They encompass emotional and mental distress, externalizing symptoms, internalizing behaviors, neurobiological changes, and physical health outcomes. The most frequently reported outcomes across all reviewed studies were depression, aggression, behavioral disorders, substance use, anger, COPD, and delinquent behavior.

The Urgent Need for Awareness

Dr. Shanta R. Dube, director of the Master of Public Health Program at Wingate University, stressed that childhood verbal abuse leads to a range of issues, including depression, anxiety, suicidality, and substance use disorders. She emphasized the importance of raising awareness about childhood verbal abuse among not just parents but all adults, including teachers and coaches.

Dr. Shana Johnson, a physical medicine and rehabilitation physician, noted that formally recognizing CVA as a form of childhood emotional abuse could pave the way for better education, research, and interventions. She stressed that words indeed cause harm and challenged the notion that "sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me."

Taking Action

Ginder emphasized that even a single incident of verbal maltreatment can be life-altering for children and youth. To mitigate the harm caused by childhood verbal abuse, he called for increased awareness, equipping parents and teachers with positive parenting and communication skills, and early intervention when verbal abuse is detected.

Study Limitations and Future Research

It's essential to acknowledge the study's limitations. The research was completed in 2022, and additional developments may have occurred since then. Moreover, the study did not consider geographical or cultural factors when examining childhood verbal abuse. Future research could explore risk factors and examine verbal abuse among peers or romantic partners.

Conclusion

Childhood verbal abuse is a pressing issue that has long-lasting effects on children's mental health and well-being. This study's findings underscore the need for greater awareness and action to prevent and address childhood verbal abuse. Parents, caregivers, teachers, and society as a whole should prioritize the emotional well-being of children and recognize that words can indeed hurt.

FAQs

1. What are the different forms of childhood maltreatment mentioned in the study?
   The study identified four general types of child maltreatment: physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, and neglect. The focus was on emotional abuse, particularly childhood verbal abuse.

2. Who are the common perpetrators of childhood verbal abuse?
   Parents were the most common perpetrators of childhood verbal abuse, followed by other adults/caregivers, mothers, teachers, coaches, and police.

3. What are some of the adverse outcomes associated with childhood verbal abuse?
   Adverse outcomes include depression, aggression, behavioral disorders, substance use, anger, COPD, and delinquent behavior, among others.

4. Why is it crucial to raise awareness about childhood verbal abuse?
   Raising awareness is essential because childhood verbal abuse can lead to various mental health issues and needs to be on the radar of detection, not only for parents but all adults who interact with children.

5. What can be done to address childhood verbal abuse and its consequences?
   Addressing childhood verbal abuse requires increased awareness, equipping parents and teachers with positive parenting and communication skills, and early intervention when verbal abuse is detected.