Researcher & Writer: Kashish Jain
Illustrator: Josetta So
It is common knowledge that relationships have a key role in shaping how our brain grows and develops. However, the severity of this and immense consequences of our childhood experiences and living environment are not addressed enough. In this article, we will explore the impacts of trauma and abusive experiences on a child’s brain and how this will affect the child in the future.
All children should receive care from adults who cherish them and show them attention and love. This will shape the child’s brain development. When these prime needs are unable to be met, this affects the brain’s reward system, the part of the brain that enables us to see the positive aspects of the world. Progressively, the reward system will begin to respond differently to things like positive social interactions and changes in the autobiographical memory system can be seen. Changes in the reward system result in making negative memories appear to become more notable and prominent, changing the way you see the world.
In addition to seeing the world through a darker lens, early abusive and neglect experiences create something called latent vulnerability. This is when early abusive experiences put children at
a greater risk of experiencing mental health problems in the future. Kate McLaughlin, an associate professor of Psychology in Harvard University has stated that “Exposure to adversity in childhood is a powerful predictor of health outcomes later in life—not only mental health outcomes like depression and anxiety, but also physical health outcomes like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer,”. Latent vulnerability increases the risk of latent mental health problems. McLaughlin’s study suggests that experiencing violence makes the body age faster at a biological level, explaining the connection between trauma and physical health.
Furthermore, children who have experienced trauma and abuse have a higher stress susceptibility, meaning they find common experiences such as joining a new club intimidating and daunting. This can lead to excess stress generation. It also makes it really difficult to fit into a ‘normal world’ as fun experiences are spent examining for potential threat cues. As a result, children may find it difficult to maintain their relationship with others others or to interact with new people.
To conclude, it is important we understand that the environment we spend our time in during the brain’s development stages are essential in shaping your behaviour, and your perception of the world around you.
Bibliography
Anna Freud NCCF. (2021). Childhood Trauma and the Brain | UK Trauma Council [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYBUY1kZpf8
Fostering Therapeutically. (Unknown). HOW TRAUMA IMPACTS A CHILD’S BRAIN. https://ispfostering.org.uk/childhood-trauma-brain-development/
Eamon J. McCrory and Essi Viding. (2015). The theory of latent vulnerability: Reconceptualizing the link between childhood maltreatment and psychiatric disorder.
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