Blog post #5 : What effects (long-term and short-term) does child neglect/abuse have later in life on adults?

How does child neglect/abuse affect the social development of victims?

Child neglect/abuse affects the social development of victims. They end up isolating themselves from others usually to protect themselves. They also have weakened social competence and emotional intelligence causing them to not know how to manage stress effectively and healthily. This also causes the victims to not know how to interact with others effectively, like teamwork situations and empathy. Another way the social development is effected is not or barely understanding how to manage their thoughts or being able to adapt to different situations and environments (1).

Victims also may have their academic progress delayed. As well as getting lower rating of performances at school from their teaches, scoring low on assessments and tests causing lower grades and failing grades. They also are more likely to get in trouble, suspended and maybe even expelled from school. (2)

Adults who had gone through child abuse or neglect often lack self-esteem. They also may find it hard to manage their emotions, making them feel hopeless. This also may cause them to have automatic negative thoughts after situations and problems. As well as not being able to manage their stress and anxiety healthily. These adults may avoid or have trouble with relationships such as friendships. They also are at higher risks for personality disorders like BPD. (3)

Thank you for reading my final research blog post about this topic! I hope to make more over the years.

1. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9393832/#sec1_5
2. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2083567/
3. https://www.verywellmind.com/childhood-abuse-changes-the-brain-2330401