A new multi-study analysis published in BMJ Journals, which asked over 20,000 adults in England and Wales about their childhoods, found that people who were verbally abused as kids face the same long-term mental health risks as those who experienced physical violence.
Real Parenting
Verbal Abuse in Childhood Has the Same Impact as Physical Violence
New research links childhood verbal abuse to long-term risks in mental health.
Published on Aug 15, 2025
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Researchers found that adults who were emotionally abused as children—often through constant insults, mockery or humiliation—were much more likely to report poor mental well-being later in life, and in some cases were even more affected than those who experienced physical abuse.
Verbal Abuse Isn’t Just “Harsh Words”
Verbal abuse isn’t the same as a single moment of frustration or a raised voice. It happens when language is used to dominate, humiliate, threaten or belittle—turning words into a tool of control. Over time, that kind of repeated exposure becomes a source of toxic stress.
In the study, adults who experienced verbal abuse as children were 1.64 times more likely to report low mental well-being, compared with 1.52 times among those who experienced physical abuse. Those who were exposed to both were twice as likely to report low well-being.
The authors note that these findings align with previous research showing that sustained verbal aggression can activate the stress-response system and disrupt neurobiological development. This may help explain why people exposed to such remarks in childhood often struggle with self-esteem, emotional regulation, and long-term mental health.
Another striking finding was that people exposed to verbal abuse alone were even more likely to say they rarely feel close to other people than those who experienced physical abuse.
The Legal Action to Take If You or Your Child Needs Protection Against Verbal Abuse
It also applies to your children.
READ HEREOther international studies back this up. In Finland, adults who had experienced severe childhood verbal abuse were three times as likely to develop clinical anxiety or depression. Research conducted in the USA, India, Brazil, and Vietnam has also linked verbal abuse to substance use and even higher levels of violent behavior later in life.
Why the Increase in Verbal Abuse Matters
Many countries now have laws against physical punishment, even when it’s framed as “discipline” or “education.” That’s critical progress. But as physical violence becomes less acceptable, it can leave a void. Without guidance on positive parenting, adults may fall back on harsh language as a substitute for physical punishment—calling a child “useless” or “stupid,” or using threats and humiliation to maintain control.
The danger is that verbal abuse often feels socially acceptable, even normal. It doesn’t lead to immediate medical intervention. Teachers and healthcare providers may not recognize it. And children who grow up hearing those words every day may not realize how deeply they’re being hurt until they’re adults struggling with relationships, self-esteem, and mental health.
What Parents and Adults Can Do
Abuse doesn’t always come with bruises. Sometimes it comes disguised as “discipline,” a joke, or “just being honest.” And if we only focus on preventing physical violence without addressing the harm caused by words, we risk replacing one form of abuse with another that’s equally damaging.
Recognizing how powerful language is doesn’t mean parenting without consequences or boundaries; it means understanding that kindness protect a child’s long-term well-being far more effectively than fear and shame ever could.
Shaming or humiliating a child isn’t an effective form of discipline. Click here to read more.
Hanna is a News Desk Writer at Smart Parenting, covering parenting, health, culture, and more. Off the clock, she’s likely people-watching at a café or park, matcha latte in hand.
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