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The Impacts of Child Abuse on Mental Health

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Introduction

Child maltreatment or abuse is a common problem in all societies. The maltreatment can

be physical, sexual, or emotional. Also, child abuse is part of child maltreatment. According to

the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), at least one child out of seven in the U.S.

experienced significant abuse (CDC, 2023). The CDC acknowledges that most cases are

unreported, and thus, the rates in its reports underestimate children's actual experiences.

According to the CDC, 1,750 children died in the U.S. in 2020 because of abuse (CDC, 2023).

The seriousness of the problem lies in the impacts of the abuse on the children. Among other

effects, maltreatment and neglect have numerous adverse mental health impacts, some of which

last into adulthood (Halpern et al., 2018). Mental health problems affect children's educational

performance, emotional well-being, social relationships, and other essential aspects for optimal

growth and development. If they are not addressed or solved during childhood, the problems can

last into adulthood. Thus, they can have significant adverse impacts on the overall mental well-

being of the children in the future (Halpern et al., 2018). In this regard, this paper explores the

mental health impacts of child abuse. Based on the available empirical evidence, the mental

health issues that are triggered by child abuse include cognitive impairment, psychological and

emotional problems, and attachment and relationship issues.

Discussion

Remarkably, child maltreatment and neglect cause numerous psychological health

problems. The most common psychological problems that abused children develop are anxiety

disorders, stress, and depression. They can be phobias, social anxiety disorders, or generalized

anxiety disorders. The anxiety disorders can be manifested in the form of extreme fear of the

abuser. The fear can also be directed to things related to the abuser. Such children often develop
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feelings of hopelessness and sadness that eventually cause stress. Frequent abuse can lead to

chronic stress and depression. Several studies have confirmed that child abuse causes the above

psychological health issues. In their study, for instance, Taillieu et al. (2016) explored the

impacts of child maltreatment in the U.S. They focused on the effects of emotional abuse. They

analyzed data gathered from 34,653 children in national surveys. The outcomes indicated that

among other mental health problems, most children who experienced emotional abuse developed

various anxiety disorder types. They also developed a major depressive disorder and stress. Thus,

such psychological issues are the most common among the abused children.

In the cases where children experience severe abuse, they develop posttraumatic stress

disorder (PTSD). Such children can experience nightmares or recurrent dreams related to the

abuse experience. They can also have frequent intrusive memories or flashbacks about the abuse

and the pain or adverse experience they had. PTSD can also be expressed in such children

through hyperarousal symptoms such as irritability, lack of concentration, and hypervigilance.

The impact of the abuse on PTSD is evident in numerous empirical studies. The study by Taillieu

et al. (2016) found that most children who experience severe abuse develop PTSD afterward. In

a different study, Powers et al. (2015) explored the link between child abuse and PTSD and

emotional deficits. They gathered data from 67 children with experience of abuse in the U.S.

from low socioeconomic backgrounds. The outcomes indicated that most children who

experienced child abuse had signs of PTSD. In some cases, the symptoms had subsided after

going through therapies. Thus, PTSD is another common mental health impact of child abuse.

In addition, abusing children increases their probability of developing substance/drug

abuse disorders in the future. The disorders usually occur if the adverse psychological impacts,

such as depression and PTSD, last into adulthood. Despite this, substance/drug abuse might start
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before the child turns into an adult. Such individuals feel that they have unresolved issues in their

minds. Thus, they turn to substance/drug use as a way of striving to resolve them. Vast empirical

evidence has shown a link between child abuse and the probability of substance/drug abuse

during adulthood. In their study, for instance, Halpern et al. (2018) explored the connection

between child maltreatment and neglect on the likelihood of substance/drug abuse in the future.

They reviewed ten primary studies related to the topic. The outcomes indicated that, on average,

the likelihood of the abused children engaging in substance/drug abuse in the future is 74 percent

higher than for their counterparts who are not abused. Thus, substance abuse is among the mental

health disorders that can be triggered by child abuse.

Also, abused children have a relatively higher probability of developing emotional issues.

One of the common emotional problems they develop is borderline personality disorder. The

disorder adversely affects an individual’s ability to regulate emotions. Also, it affects the

perception of self. For instance, abused children are likely to have a negative self-image and

engage in impulsive behaviors. The disorder alters or reduces the ability of abused children to

interact effectively with peers, friends, siblings, and other people. The study by Taillieu et al.

(2016) also found that abused children develop borderline personality disorder. The link is also

evident in the systematic review by Ibrahim, Cosgrave, and Woolgar (2018). They reviewed ten

studies that explored features of borderline personality disorder in abused children relative to

their counterparts who had no similar experiences of maltreatment. The outcomes indicated that

the children with a history of abuse had relatively more features of the disorder. Other emotional

problems that such children develop include a lack of confidence, low self-esteem, and suicidal

ideation. As Taillieu et al. (2016) noted, abused children have a relatively higher likelihood of

committing suicide compared with peers. Also, such children can develop eating disorders.
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Abusing children also increases their probability of developing cognitive impairments. As

noted in the study by Taillieu et al. (2016), the abuse causes neurological changes that lead to the

impairments. the impairments are caused by the neurological changes that occur in the brain due

to the abuse. They affect a child’s attention, concentration, and memory. The impairments often

last into adulthood. Numerous studies have found significant differences in the cognitive abilities

of people who experienced abuse during childhood relative to their counterparts who did not. In

their study, for instance, Zhang et al. (2023) explored the cognitive abilities of Chinese adults

who had experienced abuse during childhood relative to their counterparts who did not. They

explored data from 14,484 Chinese adults from a nationwide survey. The outcomes indicated that

the adults who had experienced maltreatment during childhood had relatively more cognitive

impairments than their counterparts. Another study by Geoffroy et al. (2016) provides better

and more robust outcomes. The scholars explored the long-term impacts of child abuse on

cognition. They gathered data from participants of different age groups and evaluated their

performances in tasks requiring the application of cognitive abilities. The outcomes showed a

strong link between abuse experienced during childhood and lower cognitive abilities than

counterparts of the same age. Thus, there is adequate evidence indicating that child maltreatment

is among the factors that reduce cognitive abilities.

Ultimately, the adverse impacts on cognitive abilities negatively impact children's

performances in education and other tasks in the future. The performances are reduced mainly

due to decreased attention, concentration, and memory. Such changes reduce the ability to learn

or grasp instructional content. Also, they reduce concentration and the ability to focus on

knowledge and skill development at the workplace. Ultimately, cognitive impairments reduce the

overall performance of abused children in life. The study by Geoffroy et al. (2016) found that
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cognitive impairments caused by child abuse cause a significant decline in the educational

performance of children. At the same time, the performances are adversely affected by

unresolved psychological and emotional health issues, such as PTSD, depression, anxiety, lack of

confidence, and low self-esteem. In addition, empirical evidence indicates that child abuse can

have spill-over effects. Specifically, abused children are likely to be aggressive and violent when

they become adults (Taillieu et al., 2016). Thus, they have a relatively higher likelihood of

abusing others. They can abuse their children or other people close to them. The spill-over

impact reduces the ability to develop and maintain families. In short, abusing a child can

significantly reduce their ability to succeed and achieve their dreams in most facets of life.

Lastly, child abuse at an early age often causes attachment and relationship problems that

can last a lifetime. Based on John Bowlby’s theory, children who are abused at an early age

usually develop an insecure-ambivalent attachment style (Page, 2015). The style is associated

with resistance from other people. Children who develop that attachment style develop

behavioral problems as they grow up. For instance, they have a relatively low ability to regulate

emotions (Page, 2015). They distrust others and suffer from low self-esteem. They feel insecure

when they are in intimate relationships. Such issues reduce their ability to maintain intimate

relationships. They may also experience difficulties in maintaining healthy boundaries in any

interactions or relationships (Page, 2015). As such, they may have numerous relationship

problems with other people. The impacts have been confirmed in numerous empirical studies.

The study by Taillieu et al. (2016) highlighted most attachment issues described by Bowlby’s

theory, such as low self-esteem and inability to regulate emotions and maintain healthy intimate

relationships. In a different study, Raby et al. (2017) explored the impact of child neglect and

abuse on attachment styles in the future. The outcomes indicated that neglect and abuse lead to
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insecure attachment. Most participants had the issues described by Bowlby’s theory. Thus,

abusing children can affect their mental ability to develop and maintain healthy relationships

with other people.

Conclusion

Overall, abusing children can lead to major negative impacts on their mental health, some

of which can last a lifetime. The abuse causes psychological and emotional problems, cognitive

impairment, and attachment and relationship issues, among others. The abused children can

develop cognitive impairments that can significantly reduce their performance and ability to

succeed in numerous facets of life. The abuse can also lead to attachment problems that can

adversely affect the ability to develop and maintain healthy relationships in the future. Such

issues suggest a need for concerted efforts to prevent child abuse. All relevant stakeholders,

including policymakers, parents, and healthcare providers should collaborate to address the

problem.

References
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CDC (2023). Fast Facts: Preventing Child Abuse & Neglect.

https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/childabuseandneglect/fastfact.html#:~:text=How

%20big%20is%20the%20problem,year%20in%20the%20United%20States.

Geoffroy, M. C. et al. (2016). Child neglect and maltreatment and childhood-to-adulthood

Cognition and mental health in a prospective birth cohort. Journal of the American

Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 55(1), 33-40.

Halpern, S. C. et al. (2018). Child maltreatment and illicit substance abuse: A systematic review

And a meta‐analysis of longitudinal studies. Child Abuse Review, 27(5), 344-360.

https://doi.org/10.1002/car.2534

Ibrahim, J., Cosgrave, N., & Woolgar, M. (2018). Childhood maltreatment and its link to

Borderline personality disorder features in children: A systematic review approach.

Clinical child psychology and psychiatry, 23(1), 57-76.

https://doi.org/10.1177/1359104517712778

Page, J. (2015). The legacy of John Bowlby's Attachment Theory. In The Routledge

International

Handbook of Philosophies and Theories of Early Childhood Education and Care (pp. 80-

90). Routledge.

Raby, K. L. et al. (2017). Childhood abuse and neglect and insecure attachment states of mind in

Adulthood: Prospective, longitudinal evidence from a high-risk sample. Development

and Psychopathology, 29(2), 347-363.

Taillieu, T. L. et al. (2016). Childhood emotional maltreatment and mental disorders: Results

From a nationally representative adult sample from the United States. Child abuse &

neglect, 59, 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2016.07.005

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Powers, A. et al. (2015). Associations between childhood abuse, posttraumatic stress disorder,

And implicit emotion regulation deficits: Evidence from a low-income, inner-city

population. Psychiatry, 78(3), 251-264. https://doi.org/10.1080/00332747.2015.1069656

Zhang, T. et al. (2023). Adverse childhood experiences and their impacts on subsequent

depression and cognitive impairment in Chinese adults: A nationwide multi-center

Study. Journal of Affective Disorders, 323, 884-892.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2022.12.058