It's hard to say which type of abuse is worse; both types of abuse have potentially long-term negative effects. The effects of both depend on many factors:
- Timing: Abuse has more severe effects at certain times during a child's development.
- Severity: More severe abuse generally causes more and longer-term damage.
- Frequency: More frequent abuse tends to be more damaging than one-time abuse, although one-time abuse can certainly be devastating or even fatal.
- Duration: Abuse over a long period of time has very damaging effects on the brain's stress response system that are hard to overcome.
Many people think that verbal abuse is not damaging because we cannot see physical scars that indicate abuse. But the damage that verbal abuse can cause to a growing child's attachment relationships, self-esteem, and willingness to try has potentially long-term effects. Children who are abused are at higher risk of being insecurely attached, which may lead to problems with learning, independence, friendships, and even work relationships later in life.
For more information, visit the eXtension Alliance for Better Child Care section on child abuse and neglect.
