Most parents may resort to yelling at their children from time to time, as they consider it a parenting method. There is a difference in this point of view, but it is certain that continuing to scream at the child and his development has many negatives.
This article presents the short-term and long-term psychological effects of screaming on children. In addition to other negative effects on the child and his surroundings. It also addresses viewpoints that do not see a problem with yelling at children in certain situations, and presents some suggestions and solutions.
The three types of screaming
Education experts divide yelling at children into three types:
1. Screaming that accompanies strict speech: This screaming occurs during times of serious or strict speech with children, and is done by raising the tone of voice too much. This type does not often affect children, because it does not create fear in them.
2. Screaming caused by anger: Some parents tend to scream at their children as an expression of their anger at a certain behavior. This type of screaming may be frightening for children, affecting their health and emotionally, especially if it happens all the time.
3. Good screaming: Parents use this type when the child is about to do something that will hurt him, such as the father screaming at his child when he tries to cross the street without paying attention, or when he tries to play with sharp tools, for example.
Short-term psychological effects of screaming on children
Most of the health and psychological effects resulting from screaming do not appear on the child immediately after yelling at him, as there are some effects that parents can notice within a short period, such as the child withdrawing from the environment in which he lives, feeling anxious, or sometimes displaying some aggressive behaviors.
In a study conducted on children aged 8-12 years, the results showed that children whose mothers resorted to corporal punishment and screaming expressed their disappointment as their children became more aggressive. The results of the same study indicated that anxiety symptoms worsened in these children when they were beaten, and their mothers expressed their disappointment and shame towards them.
Long-term psychological effects of screaming on children
Yelling at children can have serious consequences long after the screaming incidents occur. A study published in a journal showed that children who grew up in homes where there was constant screaming were more susceptible to anxiety, depression, stress, and other emotional crises, similar to the effects that appear in children who are repeatedly beaten.
According to a study conducted on middle school students, to discover the effects of mothers’ verbal abuse on their children, it seemed possible that screaming at children could cause long-term psychological effects, and the child may show some of the following signs:
1. Anxiety.
2. Negative view of oneself.
3. Low self-esteem.
4. Social problems.
5. Behavioral problems.
6. Aggression.
7. Bullying.
8. Depression
