Harsh parenting may stunt children's brain growth, study suggests

Children who are regularly yelled at, spanked, or shaken have smaller brain structures than their peers whose parents and caregivers do not have a harsh approach to child-rearing, a study suggests.

The study, published in the journal Development and Psychology, examined the brains of 94 kids ages 12 to 16, who experienced harsh parenting when they were younger (between the ages of two and a half and nine).

The children were grouped by how often they experienced things like yelling or hitting. Kids who had more exposure to harsh parenting had less grey matter in their prefrontal cortex region and amygdala, areas of the brain that are associated with emotional and mental wellness. 

"The implications go beyond changes in the brain," lead researcher Sabrina Suffren said in a press release. "I think what's important is for parents and society to understand that the frequent use of harsh parenting practices can harm a child's development. We're talking about their social and emotional development, as well as their brain development."

This new study builds on a 2019 study showing that kids who were exposed to harsh parenting had decreased brain function.

While the latest study is small, the findings are both "significant and new," Suffren said.

Previous research has shown that abuse can impact how the brain develops. However, the children in this study were not subject to what would typically be considered abuse. 

"It's the first time that harsh parenting practices that fall short of serious abuse have been linked to decreased brain structure size, similar to what we see in victims of serious acts of abuse," Suffren said. 

However, she emphasized that parents who occasionally snap at their kids or yell aren't the ones who are doing damage to their children's brains.  

"Keep in mind that these children were constantly subjected to harsh parenting practices between the ages of two and nine," she said. "This means that differences in their brains are linked to repetitive exposure to harsh parenting practices during childhood." 

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