Emotional Maltreatment:

Emotional Abuse

Emotional abuse can cripple and handicap a child emotionally, behaviorally and intellectually. Self-esteem can be damaged. Severe psychological disorders have been traced to excessively distorted parental attitudes and actions. Emotional and behavioral problems may be present, in varying degrees, following chronic and severe emotional abuse, especially when there is little or no nurturing.

This is especially true for neonates, infants and toddlers. These children may become chronically withdrawn and anxious and lose basic social and language skills necessary for intimate relationships. They may become developmentally delayed, socially limited, and, in some cases, antisocial or chronically unable to protect themselves from others.

Verbal assault (belittling, screaming, threats, blaming, sarcasm), uppredictable responses, continual negative moods, constant family discord, and double-message communication are examples of ways parents may subject their children to emotional abuse.

Emotional abuse may be suspected if the child:

*Is withdrawn, depressed and apathetic.
*Is clingy and forms indiscriminate attachments.
*"Acts out" and is considered a behavior problem.
*Exhibits exaggerated fearfulness.
*Is over rigid in comforming to instructions of teachers, doctors, and other adults.
*Suffers from sleep, speech, or eating disorders.
*Displays other signs of emotional turmoil (repetitive, rhythmic movements; rocking, whining, picking at scabs).
*Suffers from enuresis (bed wetting) and fecal soiling.
*Pays inordinate attention to details, or exhibits little or no verbal or physical communication with others.
*Unwittingly makes comments such as, "Mommy/Daddy always tells me I'm bad."
*Experiences substance abuse problems.

The behvior patterns mentioned may, of course, be do to other causes, but the suspicion of abuse should not be dismissed.

Behavioral Indicators of Parents/Caretakers:

*Parents or caretakers place demands on the child that are based on unreasonable or impossible expectations or without consideration of the child's developmental capacity.
*The child is used as a "battle-ground" for marital conflicts.
*The child is used to satisfy the parent's/caretaker's own ego needs and the child is neither old enough nor mature enough to understand.
*The child victim is "objectified" by the perpetrator-the child is referred to as "it" ("it" cried, "it" died).
*The child is witness to domestic violence.

Emotional Deprivation

The deprivation suffered by children when their parents do not provide the normal experiences producing feelings of being loved, wanted, secure, and worthy.

Behavioral Indicators of Emotional Deprivation

Emotional deprivation may be suspected if the child:
*Refuses to eat adequate amounts of food and is therefore very frail.
*Is unable to perform normal learned functions for a given age (walking, talking); exhibits developmental delays, particularly with verbal and nonverbal social skills.
*Displays antisocial behavior (aggression, disruption) or obvious "delinquent" behavior (drug abuse, vandalism); conversely, is abnormally unresponsive, sad, or withdrawn.
*Constantly "seeks out" and "pesters" other adults, such as teachers or neighbors, for attention and affection.
*Displays exaggerated fears.