Impact Of Early Childhood Trauma On Development

Picture an infant, faced with some situations which are so treacherous and devastating that they would even pose a challenge to adults. Childhood Trauma is one of the most adverse events an individual can undergo. This ranges from domestic violence, neglect of their specific needs, abusive parental care, undergoing grief, or even sexual assault. These are just a few examples that can be faced by victims of early childhood trauma. This trauma leaves lifelong scars and affects one’s cognition and behavioral patterns in their lives later on too. It creates an astronomical wound in the victim’s well-being and shapes how they see and perceive themselves. 

Trauma in childhood can stem from witnessing events that are alarming, threatening, and distressing. The most concerning part is, that these events affect the child before their cognition and emotional resilience are fully developed. Exposure to this trauma can trigger maladaptive coping mechanisms early on, which can be carried on well into adulthood, due to the formed habits. Destructive coping mechanisms include self-harm, substance abuse, etc. These mechanisms can lead to the depletion of not only their mental but also their physical health. Being exposed to trauma early on activates one’s body’s stress system which impacts areas like social interaction, acknowledging social cues, cognition, and emotional adaptively. Retrospective studies with adults reveal that 50–60% of adults have a history of childhood abuse or neglect that has impacted their emotional development, their core assumptions about themselves and their worlds, and their functioning as adults.

The most vital impact is on the brain and cognition. Regions such as the hippocampus, amygdala, and prefrontal cortex, are most commonly affected. These are various important centers in our body’s systems for emotional regulation, memory processing, and decision-making. Fluctuations in the hormones secreted and changes in the functioning of these areas could lead to an increased risk of being diagnosed with clinical depression, acute anxiety disorders, and poor impulse control. Children who experienced abuse had a 7.2% reduction in hippocampal volume, a part of the brain associated with learning and memory, as demonstrated in a study conducted by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). (Teicher et al., 2016). These reductions in brain volume are directly proportional to emotional instability, increased delay in cognition and difficulties managing and understanding you’re own, as well as other’s emotions. 

According to the American Psychological Association, children are more likely to develop maladaptive coping mechanisms if they experience chronic stress and trauma. They resort to withdrawal from social settings and isolation from their everyday life, finding it arduous to have a strong self-esteem or self-concept. They are more likely to always be concerned about their safety and become overly sensitive to stressors. In accordance with a study conducted by CDC people with high ACE scores (indicating multiple traumatic experiences in childhood) were significantly more likely to engage in high-risk behaviors. These include substance abuse, immoral behaviors, thefts, etc., and were also more likely to undergo several mental illnesses, including depression, panic disorders, chronic anxiety, and PTSD. 

Another major impact is on one’s interpersonal relationships. Children who undergo trauma are victim of lifelong abandonment and attachment issues. Attachment theory suggests that children require stable, nurturing relationships with caregivers to develop secure attachments, which are crucial for later relational and social interactions. A research paper published by the Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry illustrated that children who experience severe trauma are at a higher risk of forming dysfunctional relationships and may struggle with intimacy and trust in adult relationships (Cook et al., 2005). Family life also deeply affects one’s behavior and thinking patterns. If a child witness their social disadvantage through substance abuse in the home, the incarceration of their parent, or mental health problems in their surroundings, they may experience trauma due to the insufficient fulfillment of their developmental needs (Keane, Magee, & Kelly, 2016).  When children experience disrupted and insecure attachment, they are not able to self-regulate and hence they experience heightened feelings, without having a safe environment they can fall back.

The physiological issues faced by these people in their adulthood are abundant too. In accordance with a study conducted by ACE, adults who had a score of 4 or more, had twice the risk of facing severe chronic illnesses in their adulthood. Illnesses such as heart disease, and stroke. Diabetes and hypertension. They were also four times as likely to experience psychological illnesses such as depression. Physical abuse and neglect can lead directly to physical injuries or illnesses. Traumatic stress reactions such as physiological deregulation can cause or exacerbate medical conditions, including orthopedic, neurological, and cardiovascular illnesses.

Although the impact of early childhood trauma is truly devastating, interventions can be taken to regulate their cognition and psyche. Research depicts that children who have consistent support are more likely to be resilient, and seeing a counselor could be the consistent support the victim requires. Apart from this, community-based programs can address these issues at a systemic level and we as a society must work towards providing these vital resources and improve awareness regarding this sensitive issue, to create a society that is enabled to provide the right resources to the families and children who are a victim of this vicious cycle.

About the Author

Anusha is a first year psychology student at NMIMS. She recently acquired the title of Miss Teen India and is soon to represent India in Miss Teenager Universe. Apart from pageantry and modelling, she adores nature and you can always find her with a flower clip in her hair. She enjoys dancing and has been trained in jazz and contemporary since she was 5 years old. Music is an integral part of her life- she plays the piano, guitar and ukulele amongst other instruments. She aspires to be a voice for the youth and uses her platform to inspire young girls to be themselves unapologetically whilst benefiting society.

References

Cooke, J. E., Racine, N., Plamondon, A., Tough, S., & Madigan, S. (2021). Maternal adverse childhood experiences, attachment style, and mental health: Associations with child behavior problems. SSM - Mental Health, 1, 100037.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2468749921000375

 

Hornor, G. (2014). Childhood trauma exposure and toxic stress: What the PNP needs to know. Journal of Pediatric Health Care, 28(3), 191-198.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4104825/pdf/rcmh25_105.pdf

 

Felitti, V. J., Anda, R. F., Nordenberg, D., Williamson, D. F., Spitz, A. M., Edwards, V., ... & Marks, J. S. (1998). Relationship of childhood abuse and household dysfunction to many of the leading causes of death in adults: The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 14(4), 245-258

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0749-3797(98)00017-8

Cook, A., Spinazzola, J., Ford, J., Lanktree, C., Blaustein, M., Cloitre, M., ... & van der Kolk, B. (2005). Complex trauma in children and adolescents. Psychiatric Annals, 35(5), 390-398.

https://doi.org/10.3928/00485713-20050501-05