Similar Impact on Mental Health Seen for Exposure to Physical, Verbal Abuse in Childhood
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 6, 2025 -- Exposure to childhood physical or verbal abuse is similarly associated with lower mental well-being during adulthood, according to a study published online Aug. 5 in BMJ Open.
Mark A. Bellis, D.Sc., from Liverpool John Moores University in the United Kingdom, and colleagues conducted a secondary analysis of combined data from seven cross-sectional general adult population surveys measuring childhood experience of physical and/or verbal abuse and current mental well-being using data for 20,687 residents in England and Wales aged 18 years or older.
The researchers found that exposure to childhood physical abuse or verbal abuse was independently associated with a similar significant increase in the likelihood of low adult mental well-being; compounding increases were seen for exposure to both abuse types (adjusted odds ratios, 1.52, 1.64 and 2.15 for physical, verbal, and both, respectively, versus neither abuse type). Similar associations were seen for individual components of mental well-being. Adjusted prevalence rates of never or rarely having felt close to people in the last two weeks were 7.7, 9.9, 13.6, and 18.2 percent for neither abuse type, physical abuse, verbal abuse, and both abuse types, respectively. There was a significant decrease in the prevalence of child physical abuse (about 20 to 10 percent for those born in 1950-1979 to 2000 or after), while the prevalence of verbal abuse increased (11.9 to nearly 20 percent for those born before 1950 to 2000 or after).
"Verbal abuse may not immediately manifest in ways that catch the attention of bystanders, clinicians, or others in supporting services with a responsibility for safeguarding children," the authors write. "However, as suggested here, some impacts may be no less harmful or protracted."
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted August 2025
Read this next
Mental Illness Increased During, After Pregnancy for Gestational Carriers
MONDAY, Aug. 4, 2025 -- Gestational carriers seem to be more likely to be diagnosed with mental illness during and after pregnancy than those with unassisted pregnancies or...
Increases in Local Violence Tied to Higher Subsequent Suicide Rates
FRIDAY, Aug. 1, 2025 -- At the county level, increases in homicide rates are linked to higher suicide rates the following year, according to a study published online July 29...
Preemies' Early-Life Medical Risk Tied to Worse Health at Age 35
FRIDAY, Aug. 1, 2025 -- Higher early-life medical risk among preterm infants is associated with increased occurrence of mental health disorders, cardiometabolic issues, and body...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.