Childhood Verbal Abuse: Expert-Informed Delphi Consensus on Definition and Actions

Elizabeth Li, Reilly Bugden, Kumayl Khamisa, Nikita Singh, Jennifer McGowan, Department of Psychology and Human Development, University College London, United Kingdom, Child Attachment and Psychological Therapies Research Unit , Anna Freud Centre, United Kingdom, Department of Behavioural Science and Health, University College London, United Kingdom, Department of Experimental Psychology, University College London, United Kingdom, Resilience Research Group, United Kingdom

Child Maltreatment

Published online on June 03, 2026

Abstract

Child Maltreatment, Ahead of Print.
While existing psychological maltreatment frameworks recognize verbally aggressive behaviors as a key mechanism of harm, childhood verbal abuse has not been independently operationalized as a distinct construct, complicating recognition and response ...