Psychological abuse just as bad as physical: report
Posted July 30, 2012 8:41 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – Telling a child you don’t love them is just as bad as hitting, slapping or a boot to the butt.
A new report suggests psychological abuse is as harmful as physical abuse.
The study conducted by the American Academy of Pediatrics says kids who are regularly belittled, humiliated or made to feel like they’re worthless are victims of psychological abuse.
Co-author of the report Dr. Harriet MacMillan of Hamilton’s McMaster University says any parent who tells their child they don’t love them and wishes they’d never been born is guilty of psychological abuse.
Vancouver psychologist Dr. Derek Swain agrees with the report. He has seen it first hand and admits the damage is long lasting.
“Somebody who has been abused in some way in childhood will have that still echoing in adulthood,” Swain believes.
In some aspect, he says psychological abuse can be considered worse.
“Physical abuse…it happens and then it’s over, but psychological abuse tends to resonate within a person’s brain and it’s repeated over and over again,” Swain adds. “These are assaults against a person’s self esteem. A person can start to own those statements and believe them to be true.”
The study concludes it’s hard for pediatricians to detect psychological abuse and that more needs to be done in terms of prevention in order to keep children safe.
