Parents raising their voices at children may sometimes be viewed as a normal response to misbehavior or disobedience, but research suggests that repeated shouting, humiliation and threatening language can have lasting effects on children’s wellbeing and development.
A systematic review published in the journal Child Abuse & Neglect examined existing research on childhood verbal abuse and analyzed 166 studies in detail. The review was conducted by researchers from Wingate University in the United States and University College London (UCL).
The researchers described childhood verbal abuse as an important component of emotional abuse. Negative speech volume, tone and content were among the recurring themes identified in the studies reviewed. The researchers also found associations between childhood verbal abuse and a range of internalizing and externalizing outcomes across the lifespan.
The review noted that parents, mothers and teachers were among the most commonly identified perpetrators in the research. However, the authors also emphasized the need for clearer definitions and more consistent methods for measuring verbal abuse against children.
Reported effects associated with childhood verbal abuse include mental and behavioral difficulties. Research reviewed by the authors has linked such experiences with problems including depression, anger and other negative outcomes, although the evidence varies across studies and does not mean that every child exposed to verbal aggression will develop these problems.
The researchers argued that childhood verbal abuse deserves greater recognition and prevention efforts rather than being dismissed simply as a form of discipline. They highlighted the importance of communication that provides children with safety, support and nurturing.
A 2026 expert-consensus study involving 21 specialists and people with relevant lived experience further developed a definition of childhood verbal abuse. The panel identified 46 abusive behaviors and 45 recognized impacts, while prioritizing public awareness, parent education and teacher training as areas for action.
Guidance from Words Matter, the charity that commissioned the original systematic review, encourages adults to avoid shouting, insulting, swearing at children or using hurtful names. It also recommends that adults think carefully about their words and repair the relationship when something hurtful has been said.
The research does not suggest that parents must never raise their voices under any circumstances. Rather, it highlights the potential harm associated with repeated verbal aggression, humiliation and threatening communication, and points toward calm, supportive communication as an important part of healthy child development.