How abuse and neglect affect children's minds and bodies

Date

2014

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

Society for Research in Child Development

Abstract

More than 676,000 children in the United States are abused and neglected annually, and 1,500 die as a result. Maltreatment harms children’s mental health and academic achievement, and increases their risk for chronic diseases of aging. In addition to the human costs, the estimated costs of this maltreatment—billions of dollars annually—have raised calls for better understanding of how maltreatment harms children and more effective approaches to prevention and treatment. New studies on the neurobiological science of maltreatment show that child abuse and neglect alter children’s biological systems, including brain development.

Description

Keywords

child abuse, neglect, policy, psychological effects, physical effects, neurobiology

Citation

Society for Research in Child Development (2014). How abuse and neglect affect children's minds and bodies.

DOI