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Emotional Abuse

Psychological maltreatment, also known as emotional abuse, refers to "a repeated pattern of caregiver behavior or extreme incident(s) that convey to children that they are worthless, flawed, unloved, unwanted, endangered, or only of value in meeting another's needs."

Summarizing research and expert opinion, Stuart N. Hart, PhD., and Marla R. Brassard, PhD., present six categories of psychological maltreatment:

• Spurning (e.g., belittling, hostile rejecting, ridiculing)
• Terrorizing (e.g., threatening violence against a child, placing a child in a recognizably dangerous situation)
• Isolating (e.g., confining the child, placing unreasonable limitations on the child's freedom of movement, restricting the child from social interactions)
• Exploiting or corrupting (e.g., modeling antisocial behavior such as criminal activities, encouraging prostitution, permitting substance abuse)
• Denying emotional responsiveness (e.g., ignoring the child's attempts to interact, failing to express affection)
• Mental health, medical, and educational neglect (e.g., refusing to allow or failing to provide treatment for serious mental health or medical problems, ignoring the need for services for serious educational needs)¹

• Signs of emotional abuse
• Related resources

¹Adapted from J. Goldman, M. K. Salus, D. Wolcott, and K. Y. Kennedy. (2003). A coordinated response to child abuse and neglect: The foundation for practice. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Retrieved June 2006 from http://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/usermanuals/foundation/foundationc.cfm (back)

Selected Resources Maltreatment Types of Victims, 2006 Children's Bureau, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2008) In Child Maltreatment 2006 Provides State-by-State data related to the major types of child abuse and neglect. What Is Child Maltreatment? Office on Child Abuse and Neglect (HHS) User Manual Series (2003) In A Coordinated Response to Child Abuse and Neglect: The Foundation for Practice Presents general definitions by type of maltreatment.

	Related Information Gateway Topics Child abuse & neglect: Defining child abuse & neglect Child abuse & neglect: Identifying child abuse & neglect Child abuse & neglect: Perpetrators of certain types of abuse Child abuse & neglect: Risk factors for emotional abuse Child abuse & neglect: Impact of emotional abuse

Updated on April 4, 2008