Emotional abuse causes unhappiness and damage to the child’s developing personality that may be irreversible.
It often accompanies other forms of violence and neglect.
It may be missed if the child appears well nourished and well cared for.
The main clues are found in:
- the emotional state and behaviour of the child. For example, they may be clingy and become distressed when a parent is not present or, alternatively, they may be agitated, non-compliant and unable to concentrate, or withdrawn, watchful and anxious. Older children may self-harm, abuse drugs and alcohol, exhibit delinquent behaviour, run away from home and often have educational problems.
- their interaction with parents. For example, the parent may ignore the child or use abusive or inappropriate language; they may threaten the child or have unrealistic expectations of the child’s abilities to cope with dental treatment.
Markers of emotional abuse |
- Poor growth
- Developmental delay
- Educational failure
- Social immaturity
- Lack of social responsiveness
- Aggression
- Attachment disorders (both anxious and avoidant)
- Indiscriminate friendliness
- Challenging behaviour
- Attention difficulties
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