Be careful, too harsh an education has the same effects on children’s brains as sexual abuse, according to this study

A study has shown that harsh parenting techniques have a very negative impact on children’s brain development. Similar consequences to those encountered on adolescents who have suffered sexual, physical and emotional violence.

There is no “right” way to educate your children. No one can say their way is the best, because every child and every parent is different. But, it has been scientifically proven that giving an education that is too strict and harsh can cause significant damage to a teenager’s brain. A study was published on March 22, 2021 in the journal Development and Psychology.

She found that children who have undergone this overly harsh kind of upbringing have smaller brain structures in adolescence.

An impact on development

Carried out on 94 children, the study is however based on duration, since the young people were followed from their birth in the 2000s, until the writing of the study. The incidence of education and the level of anxiety of children between 2 and 9 years of age were calculated annually. Then, between their 12 and 16 years of age, brain MRIs were done.

The implications go beyond changes in the brain. I think what’s important is for parents and society to understand that frequent use of harsh parenting practices can harm a child’s development. We talk about their social and emotional development, as well as their brain development.”, Explained Sabrina Suffren, lead author of the study and researcher at the University of Montreal. “These findings are both important and new. This is the first time that harsh parenting that is not serious abuse has been linked to a decrease in the size of the brain structure, similar to what we are seeing in victims of severe acts of violence.”, She added.

Other studies have already shown, according to Parents, that children who have experienced violence such as sexual, physical or emotional abuse actually have a prefrontal cortex and a smaller amygdala, which directly influences emotional regulation and the emergence of anxiety and depression. The study conducted by Sabrina Suffren shows that the same consequences are observed in children who have been confronted with very severe parenting practices.

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Cecile Fischer

First a fashion student, Cécile slowly turned to journalism, which she found more sincere. She is an editor for aufeminin and Parole de mamans, proud to write for committed media. A …