Emotional Abuse:
The criteria used by DYFS…
Emotional abuse and/or neglect is conduct by a child’s
parent or caregiver toward the child which contributes to,
causes, allows or permits:
• Significant and/or persistent emotional pain, harm or impairment;
and/or
• Significant vulnerability to or risk of such pain, harm or impairment;
and/or
• Significant exacerbation of a child’s existing emotional pain or
impairment.
There must be injury to the intellectual, emotional or
psychological development of a child as evidenced by
observable and substantial impairment in the child’s ability
to function within a normal range of performance and
behavior.
Emotional Abuse…
Is often difficult to prove. Conduct by a parent or caregiver
may include acts, omissions or patterns of acts/omissions.
These may be immediately harmful or cumulatively harmful.
Some observable indicators in children,
(with a suggestion to be aware of sudden changes in behavior):
• Suicidal threats or gestures
• Running away episodes
• Behavior extremes: aggressive, demanding, fearful
• Significant sadness, self-denial, depression, low self-esteem, withdrawal
• Inability to form trusting relationships
• Habit disorders (sucking, biting, rocking, etc.)
• Phobias, obsessions, compulsions,
• Conduct disorders (antisocial, defiant, destructive, sociopathic, etc.)
• Neurotic traits (sleep disorders, speech disorders, inhibition of play)
• Inappropriately adult or infant-like
• Compliant/passive/regression
However, these may be attributable to organic disorders, other mental
health/psychiatric disorders.
Scenarios for discussion:
• Dave is a sophomore in high school, a good student, and a
starter on the basketball team. You go to a game and observe
Dave’s father criticizing and ridiculing Dave from the sidelines.
He is so disruptive that, during half-time, Dave and he get into
a heated argument on the sidelines. Dave fouls out during the
third quarter, and his father leaves in obvious disgust. Dave
seems relieved when his father leaves, and you see him joking
with his teammates.
• Lucy is a very shy, sensitive 7-year-old who has trouble
getting along with the other children in your class. You ask her
mother to come in to talk to you about it. Her mother claims
that Lucy is a “prima-donna” and “stuck-up,” and it’s no
wonder the other children don’t like her. You overhear her
mother ridiculing her in the parking lot, telling her she is
worthless and stupid. During the next week, a new girl comes
to your class and Lucy begins to taunt her and pinch her at
every opportunity.
Scenarios for discussion:
• Dave is a sophomore in high school, a good student, and a
starter on the basketball team. You go to a game and observe
Dave’s father criticizing and ridiculing Dave from the sidelines.
He is so disruptive that, during half-time, Dave and he get into
a heated argument on the sidelines. Dave fouls out during the
third quarter, and his father leaves in obvious disgust. Dave
seems relieved when his father leaves, and you see him joking
with his teammates.
• Lucy is a very shy, sensitive 7-year-old who has trouble
getting along with the other children in your class. You ask her
mother to come in to talk to you about it. Her mother claims
that Lucy is a “prima-donna” and “stuck-up,” and it’s no
wonder the other children don’t like her. You overhear her
mother ridiculing her in the parking lot, telling her she is
worthless and stupid. During the next week, a new girl comes
to your class and Lucy begins to taunt her and pinch her at
every opportunity.