How Emotional Abuse in Childhood Changes the Brain

Childhood emotional abuse andneglectcan result in permanent changes to the developing human brain. These changes in brain structure appear to be significant enough to potentially cause psychological and emotional problems in adulthood, such as psychological disorders and substance misuse.

Around 14% of Americans report experiencing emotional abuse or neglect during their childhood.Emotional abuse can include:

Emotional neglect involves failing to meet a child’s emotional needs. This can include failing to:

If you are a victim of child abuse or know someone who might be, call or text theChildhelp National Child Abuse Hotlineat1-800-422-4453to speak with a professional crisis counselor.For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

If you are a victim of child abuse or know someone who might be, call or text theChildhelp National Child Abuse Hotlineat1-800-422-4453to speak with a professional crisis counselor.

For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

How Abuse Alters Brain Structure

As children grow, their brains undergoperiods of rapid development. Negative experiences can disrupt those developmental periods, leading to changes in the brain later on.

Research supports this idea and suggests that the timing and duration of childhood abuse can impact the way it affects those children later in life. Abuse that occurs early in childhood for a prolonged period of time, for example, can lead to particularly negative outcomes.

They found clear differences in nine brain regions between those who had experiencedchildhood traumaand those who had not. The most obvious changes were in the brain regions that help balance emotions and impulses, as well as self-aware thinking. The study’s results indicate that people who have been through childhood abuse or neglect do have an increased risk of developing mental health issues later on.

How Childhood Emotional Neglect Can Show Up in Our Adult Life

Childhood maltreatment has also been shown to increase the risk ofanxiety disorders,bipolar disorder,major depression,personality disorders,post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), andpsychosis.The experience may also translate into a higher risk ofsubstance misuseas a result of changes in their brain associated with impulse control and decision-making.

Effects on Brain Structure

Childhood abuse and neglect can have several negative effects on how the brain develops. Some of these are:

Press Play for Advice On Healing Childhood WoundsThis episode ofThe Verywell Mind Podcast, featuring award-winning actress Chrissy Metz, shares how to heal childhood trauma, safeguard your mental health, and how to get comfortable when faced with difficult emotions. Click below to listen now.

Press Play for Advice On Healing Childhood Wounds

This episode ofThe Verywell Mind Podcast, featuring award-winning actress Chrissy Metz, shares how to heal childhood trauma, safeguard your mental health, and how to get comfortable when faced with difficult emotions. Click below to listen now.

Effects on Behavior, Emotions, and Social Function

Because childhood abuse, neglect, and trauma change brain structure and chemical function, maltreatment can also affect the way children behave, regulate emotions, and function socially. These potential effects include:

Healing From Childhood Abuse With Former NFL Player Reggie Walker

These effects can continue to cause issues in adulthood if they’re not addressed. Adults who experienced maltreatment during childhood may have trouble with interpersonal relationships—or they may avoid them altogether.

These outcomes could be related toattachment theory, or the idea that our early relationships with caregivers influence the way we relate to people later on in life. Emotional abuse and neglect don’t allow for a secure attachment to form between a child and caregiver, which causes distress for the child and influences the way they see themselves and others.

Adults who went through childhood emotional abuse or neglect may also experience:

How childhood abuse or neglect affects children later in life depends on a variety of factors:How often the abuse occurredHow long the abuse lastedThe kind and severity of the abuseThe age of the child during the abuseWho the abuser wasWhether or not the child had a dependable, loving adult in their lifeIf there were any interventions in the abuseOther individual factors

How childhood abuse or neglect affects children later in life depends on a variety of factors:

Understanding the Effects of Childhood Trauma

Treatment

Through treatment, it is possible to address the effects of childhood emotional abuse and neglect. Treatment in these cases is highly individual since maltreatment can take many forms and each person’s response to it may differ.

A Word From Verywell

Emotional abuse and neglect are linked with structural and functional changes in the brain of a child that can affect their well-being for years to come. Depending on the severity and duration of the abuse, and other factors, a neglected or abused child may develop cognitive impairments, behavioral problems, and emotional dysregulation, as well as challenges in developing healthy social relationships.

Early intervention and support can help reverse some of the damage that happened in the young developing brain. Without intervention, the child is at higher risk for developing mental health problems, personality disorders, and substance abuse in the future.

It is also important to increase education and awareness for new parents to help them understand their child’s needs and how to respond appropriately and sensitively. Some parents have endured abuse themselves and may need additional support from parenting coaches and psychotherapy, to stop the cycle of intergenerational abuse.

Frequently Asked Questions

Signs of child abuse can include physical symptoms like unexplained pain, bruises, changes in weight, headaches, or abdominal pain. Behavioral symptoms can include aggression toward peers, social withdrawal, poor performance at school, sexualized behavior, or self-harm. Poor hygiene, issues with eating, or being dressed inappropriately for the weather may also indicate maltreatment.

Reparenting in Therapy

8 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Taillieu TL, Brownridge DA, Sareen J, Afifi TO.Childhood emotional maltreatment and mental disorders: Results from a nationally representative adult sample from the United States.Child Abuse Negl. 2016;59:1-12. doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2016.07.005Lippard ETC, Nemeroff CB.The devastating clinical consequences of child abuse and neglect: Increased disease vulnerability and poor treatment response in mood disorders.AJP. 2020;177(1):20-36. doi:10.1176/appi.ajp.2019.19010020Teicher MH, Anderson CM, Ohashi K, Polcari A.Childhood maltreatment: Altered network centrality of cingulate, precuneus, temporal pole and insula.Biol Psychiatry. 2014;76(4):297-305. doi:10.1016/j.biopsych.2013.09.016Child Welfare Information Gateway.Understanding the effects of maltreatment on brain development. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Children’s Bureau; 2023.Kirlic N, Cohen ZP, Singh MK.Is there an ace up our sleeve? A review of interventions and strategies for addressing behavioral and neurobiological effects of adverse childhood experiences in youth.Adv Res Sci. 2020;1(1):5-28. doi:10.1007/s42844-020-00001-xUniversity of Delaware.Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-up.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Preventing child abuse and neglect.Stanford Medicine.Signs and symptoms of abuse/neglect.

8 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Taillieu TL, Brownridge DA, Sareen J, Afifi TO.Childhood emotional maltreatment and mental disorders: Results from a nationally representative adult sample from the United States.Child Abuse Negl. 2016;59:1-12. doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2016.07.005Lippard ETC, Nemeroff CB.The devastating clinical consequences of child abuse and neglect: Increased disease vulnerability and poor treatment response in mood disorders.AJP. 2020;177(1):20-36. doi:10.1176/appi.ajp.2019.19010020Teicher MH, Anderson CM, Ohashi K, Polcari A.Childhood maltreatment: Altered network centrality of cingulate, precuneus, temporal pole and insula.Biol Psychiatry. 2014;76(4):297-305. doi:10.1016/j.biopsych.2013.09.016Child Welfare Information Gateway.Understanding the effects of maltreatment on brain development. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Children’s Bureau; 2023.Kirlic N, Cohen ZP, Singh MK.Is there an ace up our sleeve? A review of interventions and strategies for addressing behavioral and neurobiological effects of adverse childhood experiences in youth.Adv Res Sci. 2020;1(1):5-28. doi:10.1007/s42844-020-00001-xUniversity of Delaware.Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-up.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Preventing child abuse and neglect.Stanford Medicine.Signs and symptoms of abuse/neglect.

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Taillieu TL, Brownridge DA, Sareen J, Afifi TO.Childhood emotional maltreatment and mental disorders: Results from a nationally representative adult sample from the United States.Child Abuse Negl. 2016;59:1-12. doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2016.07.005Lippard ETC, Nemeroff CB.The devastating clinical consequences of child abuse and neglect: Increased disease vulnerability and poor treatment response in mood disorders.AJP. 2020;177(1):20-36. doi:10.1176/appi.ajp.2019.19010020Teicher MH, Anderson CM, Ohashi K, Polcari A.Childhood maltreatment: Altered network centrality of cingulate, precuneus, temporal pole and insula.Biol Psychiatry. 2014;76(4):297-305. doi:10.1016/j.biopsych.2013.09.016Child Welfare Information Gateway.Understanding the effects of maltreatment on brain development. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Children’s Bureau; 2023.Kirlic N, Cohen ZP, Singh MK.Is there an ace up our sleeve? A review of interventions and strategies for addressing behavioral and neurobiological effects of adverse childhood experiences in youth.Adv Res Sci. 2020;1(1):5-28. doi:10.1007/s42844-020-00001-xUniversity of Delaware.Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-up.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Preventing child abuse and neglect.Stanford Medicine.Signs and symptoms of abuse/neglect.

Taillieu TL, Brownridge DA, Sareen J, Afifi TO.Childhood emotional maltreatment and mental disorders: Results from a nationally representative adult sample from the United States.Child Abuse Negl. 2016;59:1-12. doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2016.07.005

Lippard ETC, Nemeroff CB.The devastating clinical consequences of child abuse and neglect: Increased disease vulnerability and poor treatment response in mood disorders.AJP. 2020;177(1):20-36. doi:10.1176/appi.ajp.2019.19010020

Teicher MH, Anderson CM, Ohashi K, Polcari A.Childhood maltreatment: Altered network centrality of cingulate, precuneus, temporal pole and insula.Biol Psychiatry. 2014;76(4):297-305. doi:10.1016/j.biopsych.2013.09.016

Child Welfare Information Gateway.Understanding the effects of maltreatment on brain development. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Children’s Bureau; 2023.

Kirlic N, Cohen ZP, Singh MK.Is there an ace up our sleeve? A review of interventions and strategies for addressing behavioral and neurobiological effects of adverse childhood experiences in youth.Adv Res Sci. 2020;1(1):5-28. doi:10.1007/s42844-020-00001-x

University of Delaware.Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-up.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Preventing child abuse and neglect.

Stanford Medicine.Signs and symptoms of abuse/neglect.

Meet Our Review Board

Share Feedback

Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?HelpfulReport an ErrorOtherSubmit

Was this page helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

What is your feedback?HelpfulReport an ErrorOtherSubmit

What is your feedback?