New research has found that verbal abuse in childhood may have just as damaging an impact on long-term mental health as physical abuse.
According to a study published Tuesday, August 5, in the journal BMJ Open, individuals who experienced verbal abuse as children were 60% more likely to report poor mental well-being as adults, compared to a 50% increase among those who experienced physical abuse.
The findings suggest that spoken harm — often minimized or overlooked — can have devastating and long-lasting effects on mental health.
The study also uncovered generational shifts in abuse trends. In England and Wales, the rate of physical abuse has halved — from 20% among those born between 1950–1979 to 10% among those born after 2000.
Conversely, verbal abuse is on the rise, signaling a new and pressing public health concern.
In the U.S., the 2021 CDC Youth Risk Behavior Survey reported that over 60% of participants had experienced emotional abuse — and 32% had experienced physical abuse. Though labeled "emotional," the survey measured similar behaviors to those classified as verbal abuse in the BMJ study.
The research analyzed data from more than 20,000 adults across seven long-term studies in England and Wales. Researchers assessed participants’ childhood experiences using the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) tool and their adult well-being using the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale.
Lead author Dr. Mark Bellis, professor of public health and behavioral sciences at Liverpool John Moores University, summarized the results bluntly:
“Verbal abuse in childhood can leave mental health scars as deep and long-lasting as those caused by physical abuse.”
Experts say verbal abuse includes more than just shouting. It can encompass blaming, insulting, belittling, humiliating, criticizing, or threatening children.
Examples include: “You’re stupid.” “You always mess things up.” “Why can’t you be more like your brother?” “You’ll never amount to anything.”
Dr. Andrea Danese, professor of child and adolescent psychiatry at King’s College London, explained:
“Verbal abuse can twist a young person’s understanding of who they are and their place in the world. It is often unintentional but can have profound effects.”
Children are literal thinkers, said Dr. Shanta Dube, professor of epidemiology at Wingate University.
“Harsh words are taken at face value. They can shape a child’s entire self-concept.”
While this was an observational study, meaning it cannot prove direct causation — the strength and consistency of the findings add weight to growing evidence that verbal abuse has lasting impacts on mental health.
Some may argue that those with current mental health challenges could remember childhood more negatively. But the large sample size and rigorous analysis bolster the study’s credibility.
Dr. Bellis emphasized that the global mental health crisis — especially among young people — makes it urgent to recognize all forms of harm.
“We’ve made significant progress in reducing physical abuse, in part through awareness campaigns and education. But now we must do the same for verbal abuse.”
Supporting this shift means equipping parents, teachers, and caregivers with tools to foster healthy emotional environments.
“Helping parents regulate their emotions, communicate better, and model respectful behavior can profoundly impact children’s development,” Bellis added.
“We’re not asking people to dramatize every negative comment they’ve ever made,” said Danese. “But we should be mindful — and when necessary, offer a sincere apology, clarification, or reassurance to the child.”
This cultural change includes promoting practices like gentle parenting, which combines warmth with boundaries to foster trust, emotional safety, and mutual respect.
And while parents are key, everyone who interacts with children — teachers, coaches, family members — needs to understand the power of their words.
Dube concluded:“Language has power. And when it comes to children, the way we speak to them can shape how they see themselves — for better or for worse.”
