Impact of Psychological Harm from Parents
Despite the existence of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which emphasizes the right of children to be protected from violence, approximately one billion children face various forms of violence each year, including emotional, physical, or sexual abuse. Tragically, one child loses their life to this violence every five minutes.
Parents play a crucial role in shaping the mental health of their children. The parenting styles and behaviors exhibited by caregivers significantly influence a child’s psychological well-being and personality development. Living in an environment devoid of love and warmth, where a child is met with hostility, threats, or unreasonable demands, can lead a child to feel like an adversary or an unworthy outcast.
The Connection Between Parents’ Mental Health and Their Children
Clinical psychologist Marcy Burstien, who is employed at the American Institute of Mental Health, highlighted that there is a long-term relationship between the mental health issues experienced by parents and their effects on children. Children whose parents suffer from anxiety disorders are four to six times more likely to develop anxiety disorders themselves throughout their lives.
Furthermore, children with depressed parents are three to four times more likely to experience depression. These disorders often manifest during childhood or adolescence. However, the exact reasons for this phenomenon remain unclear.
Forms and Types of Psychological Abuse
Children may encounter various forms of psychological abuse from their parents, including:
- Belittling the child and undermining their self-esteem
- Inconsistent disciplinary approaches, such as harsh punishment one moment, followed by no consequences for the same behavior
- Instilling fear through threats and creating an atmosphere of terror
- Parental rejection
- Constantly comparing children to their peers
Statistics on Psychological Abuse Against Children
According to UNICEF, the statistics regarding psychological abuse of children in Jordan are as follows:
- In the age group of 8-17 years from the national sample, 58.3% of children have experienced at least one form of psychological abuse in their lifetime.
- Among the same age group in Syrian refugee camps, 58% of children reported experiencing at least one form of psychological abuse.
- For children with disabilities aged 8-17, 51.1% have been victims of at least one form of psychological abuse.
Consequences of Psychological Harm Inflicted by Parents
The detrimental effects that parents can inflict on their child’s mental well-being include:
- Persistent anxiety and stress: Children may experience anxiety and stress from those they rely on, such as their parents, leading them to become increasingly isolated.
- Lack of concentration: The focus on parental behaviors can hinder a child’s overall ability to concentrate.
- Aggressive behavior: A child’s aggression often mirrors the hostility shown by their parents, as they struggle to articulate their feelings of anger resulting from verbal abuse.
- Depression: Being raised in an environment rife with conflict and despair can render a child exceptionally sad and unaware of what happiness feels like.
- Suicidal tendencies: Many documented cases of suicide among children are attributed to the psychological harm inflicted by parents.
- Additional effects may include declining academic performance, resentment towards teachers, shyness, excessive sleeping, fearfulness, social withdrawal, nail-biting, disengagement from activities, and irritability.