COERCIVE CONTROL AND UNDERDEVELOPED KIDS THE ENDLESS ROMANTIC CHASING: ALSO ABUSIVE
Dr Neha Mehta, RCI-registered psychologist, certified relationship counselor, and a wellknown child psychologist, explains the effects of coercive control and psychological abuse on children.
“Most parents and teachers threaten and pressurize children to think or behave in a manner which they feel is right,” says Dr Mehta. “In turn, it takes away the opportunity from the child to go through the various stages of development. When parents compare their children with others and use the hard way to school them and taunt them, picking on their incapacities and belittling them, pampering one sibling and ignoring the other or demotivating them, it takes away a child’s confidence, resulting in emotionally underdeveloped children with no decision-making skills or self-esteem. They also show abusive and anti-social behavior among other mental health disorders.”
Dr Mehta insists that no matter what the reason, scolding your children by saying things like, “Why don’t you study?” “I’ve to work so hard on you” etc. is a big no-no and does more harm than good to a child’s psychology. In fact, if a child even witnesses coercive abuse on someone in the family, the child may adapt such behaviors in their own selves.”
CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST, AARATHI SELVAN POINTS OUT FORMS OF COERCIVE CONTROL. “IN SUCH CASES, IN CIS–HETERONORMATIVE RELATIONSHIPS, THE MAN (GENDER USED ONLY FOR EASE OF EXPLANATION) MAY KNOW THE WOMAN IS NOT INTERESTED IN HIM, BUT HE STILL PURSUES HER, FLIRTS WITH HER, PUSHES ONE-NIGHT-STANDS AT HER, ETC.,” SAYS AARATHI.