There are several reasons why a parent needs to raise their voice. The child may be in danger or do something they are not allowed to do. But according to a new study that examined the effects of yelling from adults, angry yelling from parents can increase the risk of children developing, among other things, mental illness, aggressive behavior and substance abuse. The researchers call it verbal abuse, reports CNN.
“Childhood verbal abuse needs to be immediately recognized as a type of abuse because of the lifelong negative consequences,” said Professor Shanta Dube, the study’s lead author, in a statement.
Verbal abuse
Definitions of child abuse usually include four types of abuse; physical, mental, sexual and neglect. The authors now call for a separate category for verbal abuse to facilitate preventive measures.
Unlike other forms of emotional abuse in the home – such as indifference, silent treatment and witnessing violence – verbal abuse is more common but can lead to similar consequences and should therefore be addressed, according to the researchers.
Raising your voice at your children does not necessarily have to be dangerous, but it mainly depends on the message. The most harmful type of yelling is that which contains criticism and threats, according to the researchers.
– All adults get stressed sometimes and say things unintentionally. We need to work together to find ways to recognize these actions and end verbal abuse of children by adults so that children can flourish, says Shanta Dube.