ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the impact of emotional abuse and neglect on a developing child and their attachment patterns. Neglect encompasses physical, medical, and emotional realms. It is typically defined as the parental inability to consistently provide adequate care to meet the developmental needs of a child across environments, including physical needs such as food, shelter, clothing, and proper supervision of a child. Neglect can have significant detrimental effects on the developing brain of a young child and creates a complex environment for the child as their parent sometimes meets their physical and emotional needs but is inconsistent in their application. Emotional abuse typically consists of name-calling, threatening harm to self and/or others, belittling comments, degrading the intelligence or worth of a child, humiliating the child in front of others, as well as withholding love and affection as a form of punishment. These experiences can cause long-lasting detrimental effects on the developing brain and in a large number of children, the development of a chaotic/disorganized attachment style. This chapter examines the neurological and developmental issues neglect and emotional abuse causes as well as maladaptive attachment patterns. Attachment Centered Play Therapy interventions are included to help develop a coherent narrative of the child’s world, increase self-esteem and a sense of self, as well as repair and develop consistency and healthy attachment seeking behaviors. Involvement of the parent is a critical component in a child’s healing.
