WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Experts have assessed anxiety levels in children who have been exposed to harsh parenting techniques.
Children who are regularly shouted, hit or shaken may develop smaller brains in adolescence.
Hard parenting techniques have been put under a microscope in a new study to determine if there is a link between this type of behavior and a child’s development. In many places around the world, tough parents are acceptable, but experts believe it can have a serious impact on young people.
“The implications outweigh the brain changes,” said study lead author Sabrina Suffren, PhD, of the University of Montreal and the CHU Sainte-Justine Research Center. “I think the important thing is for parents and society to understand that the frequent use of harsh parenting practices can harm a child’s development.
“We talk about their social and emotional development, as well as the development of the brain.”
Previous studies have shown that sexual and emotional abuse, as well as neglect, have been linked to depression and anxiety in later life. Children who are victims of these types of abuse have been shown to have a smaller prefrontal cortex and amygdala, both of which play an important role in regulating emotions, anxiety and depression.
This new research also concluded that these areas of the brain were smaller in adolescents who were subjected to harsh parenting practices in childhood.
We talk about their social and emotional development, as well as the development of their brain.
–Sabrina Suffren, PhD, University of Montreal and CHU Sainte-Justine Research Center
“These findings are both significant and new. This is the first time that harsh parenting practices that do not lead to serious abuse are related to the small size of the brain structure, similar to what we see in victims of serious abuse.” Suffren added.
The study annually assessed the anxiety levels of children aged 2 to 9 years, and the children were then divided into groups according to how exposed they were to harsh parents. Anxiety levels were re-analyzed when children were between 12 and 16 years old, and anatomical MRIs were also performed.
The research was conducted in partnership with researchers at Stanford University and was published in the journal Development and Psychology.