A large UK-based study published in BMJ Open reveals that childhood verbal abuse can harm adult mental health as much as physical abuse.
Globally, around one in six children experiences physical abuse by family or caregivers, which is linked to long-term issues such as depression, anxiety, substance abuse, violent behaviour and chronic health problems like cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
While the prevalence of physical abuse has halved in recent decades, verbal abuse has risen significantly, with an estimated one in three children now exposed. Verbal abuse, like physical abuse, creates toxic stress that can disrupt brain development.
To examine the long-term health effects of both physical and verbal abuse, separately and combined, researchers analysed data from seven studies involving 20,687 adults in England and Wales. The findings showed that adults who experienced verbal abuse in childhood were 64 per cent more likely to have low mental well-being, while those who experienced physical abuse had a 52 per cent increased risk. Experiencing both forms of abuse more than doubled the likelihood of poor mental health.
Among adults with a history of childhood abuse, 22.4 per cent of those who had experienced physical abuse had low mental well-being, compared to 24 per cent for verbal abuse, and 29 per cent for both.
Though verbal abuse may not leave visible scars, its impact can be equally lasting. Reducing its prevalence can improve children’s early life experiences and lower the risk of long-term mental health challenges, the researchers noted.
