Verbal abuse in childhood leaves lasting scars that can follow into adulthood, experts warn

Verbal abuse in childhood is not just hurtful in the moment — it can cause emotional harm and hidden scars that last for decades.

A new study published in BMJ Open shows that the mental health toll of verbal abuse can be as damaging as physical abuse, and in some cases, even more severe.

Researchers examined data from more than 20,000 adults in England and Wales, analyzing their childhood experiences and current mental well-being.

They discovered that adults who experienced physical abuse as children were 50% more likely to report poor mental health, while those who endured verbal abuse faced a 60% higher risk of low well-being later in life.

Lead study author Dr. Mark Bellis, professor of public health and behavioral sciences at Liverpool John Moores University in the United Kingdom, said the “results suggest that verbal abuse in childhood can leave mental health scars as deep and long-lasting as those caused by physical abuse.”

Verbal abuse risk may be greater than physical abuse

The study used the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) tool alongside the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale to measure the connection between early life experiences and adult mental health.

One concerning trend emerged: while physical abuse rates in England and Wales have dropped significantly over the last decades — from 20% in people born between 1950 and 1979 to just 10% in those born in or after 2000 — verbal abuse has gone up.

In the United States, the CDC’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey found that more than 60% of teens reported emotional abuse, and nearly a third reported physical abuse.

While the survey used the term “emotional abuse,” it asked about behaviors that closely match verbal abuse.

“Verbal abuse may be eroding the mental health benefits we should expect from successful efforts to reduce physical abuse,” Bellis warned.

The hidden scars of verbal abuse in childhood

Experts say verbal abuse often overlaps with other forms of emotional harm and can be challenging to identify.

Dr. Shanta Dube, professor of epidemiology and director of the Department of Public Health at the Levine College of Health Sciences at Wingate University, explained that spoken attacks can get overlooked because they may not leave physical marks — but the hidden scars are just as real.

Verbal abuse can include blaming, insulting, criticizing, threatening, or humiliating children.

According to Dr. Andrea Danese, professor of child and adolescent psychiatry at King’s College London, these words can alter a child’s understanding of themselves and their place in the world.

“Harsh, denigrating words spoken to children have lasting impacts. Children developmentally are concrete thinkers ‘it is or isn’t,” Dr. Dube said in an email. “They can take things literally.”

Children learn about themselves primarily through the language adults use. Supportive words can build confidence, while hurtful language can chip away at self-worth, sometimes for a lifetime.

Why every word matters

Although the study was observational and cannot prove direct cause-and-effect, the strong connection between verbal abuse and long-term poor mental health adds weight to existing evidence.

Dr. Dube noted that part of the decline in physical abuse may be due to increased awareness, data collection, and prevention campaigns.

Now, she says, it’s time to give verbal abuse the same level of attention.

Dr. Bellis agrees, pointing out that “poor mental health is a major and growing global public health issue, particularly among adolescents and young adults.”

He believes improving childhood environments can strengthen resilience and protect against future mental health struggles.

Building healthier communication for children’s future

Experts stress that preventing verbal abuse isn’t about shaming adults, but about encouraging a cultural shift toward more mindful communication.

That includes parents, teachers, and all adults who interact with children.

Dr. Danese put it: “It’s not about dramatizing times when we could have let negative comments on children slip,” he said in an email. “It is about being mindful of them and trying to repair them with an apology, a correction, and an explanation.”

Bellis suggests helping parents and caregivers build emotional regulation skills, strengthen attachment, and develop healthier communication habits.

By modeling problem-solving behaviors and kindness, adults can give children the positive language they need to become confident, resilient adults.

Words matter. Just as society has learned to act against physical abuse, the next step is to recognize the deep, lasting effects of verbal abuse — and to replace hurtful words with those that heal, support, and uplift.

Here’s Dr. Ramani in a video that talks about the effects of childhood verbal abuse: