“Too many adults are turning to harsh words without realising the lasting damage to children.”
Jessica Bondy, Founder of Words Matter, the first organisation in the world to focus on ending childhood verbal abuse by adults
- Study of over 20,000 adults in England and Wales
- Adults who were verbally abused as children had a 64% higher chance of experiencing low mental well-being.
- Physical abuse increased this risk by 52% – and being exposed to both types of abuse compounded the risk even further (115% higher).
- Those exposed to verbal abuse were significantly more likely to feel disconnected, pessimistic, and emotionally unwell in adulthood.
- Verbal abuse is rising: While physical abuse halved from around 20% to 10% over recent generations, verbal abuse increased from 12% to nearly 20%.
- Words Matter charity is the first organisation on a mission to end verbal abuse of children by adults and focused on raising awareness, education and campaigning for change
A new landmark study published this week in BMJ Open1 reveals that childhood verbal abuse by adults – criticism, ridicule, threats, humiliation – can be as damaging to long-term mental health as physical abuse, and while prevalence of physical abuse has fallen, verbal abuse has risen.
Based on data from more than 20,000 adults across England and Wales, the large retrospective study examined birth cohorts from the 1950s onwards. The study shows a clear and concerning trend: verbal abuse is on the rise since the 1950s increasing from 12% to nearly 20%, while physical abuse has declined significantly – having halved from 20% to 10%. It appears verbal abuse may be replacing physical abuse as awareness of physical harm grows – but the damage can be just as profound.
Verbal abuse alone was linked to a 64% increase in the likelihood of low mental well-being in adulthood – greater than the 52% increase associated with childhood physical abuse. Experiencing both types of abuse more than doubled the risk of poor mental health later in life.
Despite childhood verbal abuse flying under the radar, it is now the most common form of child maltreatment. Extensive studies have shown its detrimental effects on mental and physical health and development, especially when it begins in early childhood – shaping a child’s brain development, sense of self, and ability to trust others. It can lead to anxiety, depression, eating disorders, sleep issues, substance abuse, self-harm and suicidality2. A previous study by the same authors showed that children who experience verbal abuse from adults are nearly twice as likely to become victims or perpetrators of violence or face incarceration in adulthood3. The global economic cost of childhood verbal abuse – based solely on health impacts – is estimated at £239 billion annually4, underscoring the scale of the issue and the urgent need for prevention.
The BMJ study findings come amid increasing concern over the state of young people’s mental health in the UK:
- Children in the UK now report the lowest levels of life satisfaction in Europe5.
- More than 270,000 children are waiting for mental health support following initial referrals -with long wait times worsening outcomes5.
- Half of all mental health conditions emerge by age 14, often rooted in the early years of life6.
Professor Mark Bellis, lead author of the study and Director of Research, and Innovation at Liverpool John Moores University commenting says:
“Our research shows that verbal abuse in childhood may inflict mental health scars as deep and enduring as those caused by physical abuse. Important progress has been made in reducing physical abuse, but verbal abuse is often overlooked. This study suggests verbal abuse has risen in the latter half of the 20th century eroding the long-term mental health benefits we should see from reducing physical abuse.”
Jessica Bondy, Founder of Words Matter, the first organisation in the world focused on ending childhood verbal abuse by adults says:
“This study confirms what survivors and professionals have long known: words can wound deeply and have a lasting impact on a child’s mental health and development. We all get overloaded sometimes, but too many adults are turning to harsh words without realising the lasting damage they cause to children. Any gains made in reducing physical abuse risk being undone by rising rates of verbal abuse. We must act now to confront the lasting harm caused by cruel, critical, or controlling language and focus on prevention. We need to build children up – not knock them down. The mental health of the next generation and our shared future depend on it.”
Words Matter charity is building a global coalition of experts, frontline professionals, other organisations, policymakers, and those with lived experience as it leads the charge on ending childhood verbal abuse. Over 40 of the leading children’s and mental health charities have already joined its mission.
The charity is calling for:
- Public health campaigns to raise awareness of the harm caused by verbal abuse
- Training and early intervention for parents, carers, teachers and others in children’s lives -promoting constructive communication and emotional responsiveness
- Policy changes to recognise verbal abuse as a serious, preventable harm, and integrate it into child protection and mental health strategies
ENDS
FOOTNOTES
1 Bellis MA, Hughes K, Ford K, et al. Comparative relationships between physical and verbal abuse of children, life course mental well-being and trends in exposure: a multi-study secondary analysis of cross-sectional surveys in England and Wales, BMJ Open 2025; 15: e098412. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2024-098412
2 S.R.Dube et al, Childhood verbal abuse as child maltreatment subtype: a systematic review of the current evidence, Child Abuse & Neglect: The International Journal Volume 144, October 2023, 106394.
3 Bellis et al, Comparing relationships between single types of adverse childhood experiences and health-related outcomes: a combined primary data study of eight cross-sectional surveys in England and Wales BMJ Open, Volume 13, Issue 4, 2023
4 Groundbreaking study reveals economic burden of childhood verbal abuse by adults estimated at $300 billion globally
5 https://www.childrenssociety.org.uk/information/professionals/resources/good-childhood-report-2024
Notes to editors
About the study
- The study: Bellis MA, Hughes K, Ford K, et al. Comparative relationships between physical and verbal abuse of children, life course mental well-being and trends in exposure: a multi-study secondary analysis of cross-sectional surveys in England and Wales, BMJ Open 2025; 15:e098412. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2024-098412
- Data from seven cross-sectional ACE studies undertaken across England and Wales between 2012 and 2024 were combined.
- All study measures were self-reported. Surveys used the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention short ACE tool questions to measure exposure to different forms of violence during childhood, including physical abuse, verbal abuse, sexual abuse, and exposure to domestic violence before the age of 18 years.
- Mental well-being was measured in all studies using the Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale, which asks individuals how often over the past 2 weeks they have been: feeling optimistic about the future; feeling useful; feeling relaxed; dealing with problems well; thinking clearly; feeling close to other people; able to make up their own mind about things. Responses for the seven items are scored from 1 (none of the time) to 5 (all of the time). Low mental well-being was classified within each study as scores of more than one standard deviation (SD) below the mean.
About Words Matter
- Words Matter is a UK-based charity leading global efforts to end childhood verbal abuse by adults. Its activity is focused on research; raising awareness and collaboration with experts, decision makers, other organisations and those with lived experience, to develop solutions.