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Emotional Child Abuse

Emotional abuse, which accompanies all other forms of abuse, can be -define, since psychological coping mechanisms vary in children. Technically, emotional abuse is any parental behavior that is harmful to the em,- -being of a child. Verbal attacks and emotional abandonment are most common forms of this abuse, leaving a child starving for attention, love and affirmation. In order to develop and thrive, infants and children need not-only physical sustenance and safety but also ongoing emotional nurturing. Such nurturing is not optional but a basic ingredient of well-being. Parents must acknowledge and accept their responsibility for meeting a child's emotional needs for love, security, and affirmation. Failing to -emotional needs of a child could result in psychological instability (manifected as severe anger outbursts and depression), developmental delays and retardation and physical failure to thrive.

Emotional abuse of children takes various forms:

• Harsh, degrading language: "You are such an idiot," "I'm sick of you."You little jerk," and other insults that can't be printed here-memory and emotions of a child for years, if not for a lifetimeffect is magnified when these insults are hurled in the prosence of other .family members. Verbal abuse scars the mind and heart.

• Inconsistency: The child never knows whether to expect hugsment from one day (or hour) to the next.

• Indifference: One or both parents are too busy, overwhelmed, tired or disinterested to pay attention to the child, show affection, ortent limits.

• Authoritarianism: Every detail of a child's behavior is sternly managed, stressing pure obedience in the name of "discipline" or even "raising godly children.' Little or no allowance is made for chilfish formistakes or exploration.

• Nonstop criticism/unwillingness to give praise or approval is a fraternal twin of authoritarianism, causing a child to believe that whatever he does is never good enough, no matter how hard he tries.

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