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Witnessing Maltreatment Of Sibling Carries Heavy Psychological Toll
A sibling just witnessing the abuse of another sibling can lead to mental health issues.
A new study has found that witnessing the maltreatment of a sibling can take a large psychological toll on a child. While a lot of parents could never dream of doing anything to harm one of their children, there are stories of children being abused and neglected. While some parents who abuse their children have clear intent to harm, some are burnt out and lacking in support and resources to help them cope, and mental health struggles. Studies on child maltreatment are incredibly important to know how to help these children who have been harmed by their parents, but what about their siblings?
While it may not seem common, there are households that have child maltreatment, but not all children are created equally. For whichever reason, some parents can inflict maltreatment on a specific child, while not doing the same acts towards another. This can have an impact on a child who has to witness this happening to their sibling.
Children who witness abuse can be just as psychologically damaged as a child who is being abused. This has been linked to symptoms of depression, anxiety, and anger.
