Belittling, Shaming Child Causes Lasting Damage
By Melissa Schorr
Originally published by Reuters Health, April 1, 2002
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) — Parents need to shower their children with kudos and kisses rather than harsh criticism, according to newly released guidelines from pediatricians on psychological abuse.
"Physical wounds heal, but psychological scars can last a lifetime," Dr. Charles Johnson, professor of pediatrics at Ohio State University in Columbus and chairman of the American Academy of Pediatrics' (AAP) committee on child abuse, told Reuters Health.
The report, entitled The Psychological Maltreatment of Children, is the first set of guidelines issued by the AAP to address the issue of psychological mistreatment of children. Published in the April issue of the journal Pediatrics, the report aims to help pediatricians screen for and spot this form of abuse.
The report's authors define a variety of ways that parents can psychologically damage a child, including belittling, shaming, or exploiting; terrorizing, such as threatening violence against them or a loved one; denying emotional responsiveness, such as rejecting or denying affection; and acting inconsistently, for example by making contradictory or unrealistic demands.
According to Johnson, of the million instances of child abuse reported annually, around 5% to 7% of all reported cases consist exclusively of this form of psychological abuse.
The report helps pediatricians spot children experiencing psychological mistreatment by advising which are at greater risk: those whose parents are involved in a contentious divorce, those who were unwanted or unplanned, those whose parents abuse drugs or alcohol, and those who are mentally or physically handicapped.
Children who are mistreated are at greater subsequent risk of suffering a variety of ailments, including depression and suicidal thoughts, low self-esteem, impulse control problems, eating disorders, substance abuse problems, antisocial behavior, delinquency, learning impairments and poor health.
In addition to being on the lookout for children being abused in this way, pediatricians should attempt to guide parents towards more appropriate parenting techniques, Johnson noted.
"A lot of parents say, 'I love my child,'" notes Johnson. "But do they love their child as it is—or as they want it to be?" He encouraged parents to put themselves in their child's shoes and try to reinforce positive behavior rather than to criticize negative behavior. "The way to shape behavior is to reward what you want to see," he said.
