A Developmental View of the Psychological Consequences of Maltreatment

Central to all patterns of maltreatment is insensitivity to the emotional needs of the child. Such insensitivity by caregivers early in the child's life has been shown to have long-term effects on the child's psychological development. This article includes a summary of findings on the consequences of maltreatment in early childhood, followed by a discussion of major developmental issues during infancy and toddler-hood and salient features of sensitive and insensitive parenting during those periods. Finally, the article addresses implications of this information for school psychologists.