Simple neglect can be as damaging to a child’s social development as physical, sexual or emotional abuse.
Children whose basic needs aren’t met can have lifelong damage done to their ability to form friendships and romantic relationships, researchers reported in a study published recently in the journal Child Abuse and Neglect.
Neglect leads children to withdraw from others, avoid popularity, and become less likely to join groups, results show.
“Maltreated children often feel shame and may have lower self-esteem and sense of belonging as a consequence of maltreatment, which precipitates withdrawal from their peers,” lead researcher Christina Kamis, an assistant professor of sociology with the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, said in a news release from the school.
