Child neglect: developmental issues and outcomes

Objective: This article highlights the manner in which child neglect, the most common form of maltreatment, affects children’s development. Method: The review is organized according to three developmental periods (i.e., infancy/preschool, school-aged and younger adolescents, and older adolescents and adults) and major developmental processes (cognitive, social-emotional, and behavioral). Although the focus is on specific and unique effects of various forms of child neglect, particular attention is paid to studies that allow comparisons of neglect and abuse that clarify their similarities and differences. Results: Past as well as very recent findings converge on the conclusion that child neglect can have severe, deleterious short- and long-term effects on children’s cognitive, socio-emotional, and behavioral development. Consistent with attachment and related theories, neglect occurring early in life is particularly detrimental to subsequent development. Moreover, neglect is associated with effects that are, in many areas, unique from physical abuse, especially throughout childhood and early adolescence. Relative to physically abused children, neglected children have more severe cognitive and academic deficits, social withdrawal and limited peer interactions, and internalizing (as opposed to externalizing) problems. Conclusions: The current review offers further support for the long-standing conclusion that child neglect poses a significant challenge to children’s development and well-being. Limitations with regard to the state of the knowledge are discussed and directions for future research are outlined. Cet article souligne la façon dont la négligence des enfants, laquelle est plus commune que les autres types de maltraitance, affecte le développement de l’enfant. Des constats antérieurs et récents confirment que la négligence peut causer des effets graves et néfastes, à court et à long terme, au niveau du développement cognitif, socio-affectif et du comportement. Comme le démontrent les théories sur l’attachement ainsi que d’autres théories connexes, c’est la négligence vécue en très bas âge qui risque le plus de défavoriser le développement de l’enfant. Par ailleurs, les effets de la négligence sont souvent distincts de ceux des mauvais traitements physiques, surtout durant la pleine durée de l’enfance et le début de l’adolescence. Comparés aux enfants victimes de mauvais traitements physiques, les enfants négligés connaissent des déficits cognitifs et