Emotional Maltreatment

Child abuse is a problem that affects the lives of many American children. The public is often bombarded with information regarding horrific cases of physical and sexual abuse. Emotional maltreatment, however, has been slow to achieve recognition as a serious social problem for a variety of reasons. Compared with physical or sexual abuse, emotional maltreatment is more difficult to identify and define, and good epidemiological data are not available. An erroneous perception also exists that the sequelae of emotional maltreatment are less severe than that of physical and/or sexual abuse. Prompt identification of emotional maltreatment, appropriate intervention and referral, and reporting of concerns to child protective services are essential to the health and well-being of the child. This article will define emotional maltreatment, discuss consequences of emotional maltreatment, and provide implications for pediatric nurse practitioner practice.