Emotional abuse
Emotional abuse is the persistent emotional ill treatment of a child such as to cause severe and persistent adverse effects on the child’s emotional development.
It may involve conveying to a child that they are worthless or unloved, inadequate or valued only in so far as they meet the needs of another person.
It may feature age or developmentally inappropriate expectations being imposed on children. It may involve causing children frequently to feel frightened or in danger, for example by witnessing domestic abuse within the home or being bullied, or, the exploitation or corruption of children.
Some level of emotional abuse is involved in all types of ill treatment of a child, though it may occur alone.