9 Consequences of Name-Calling

By Sherri Gordon
Updated on July 22, 2022
Medically reviewed by Amy Morin, LCSW
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Everyone has heard the saying: "Sticks and stones may break my bones,
but words will never hurt me." The problem is, this statement is not the
least bit true. Name-calling is one of the most damaging and painful types of
bullying. It leaves victims with negative messages about who they are. It's
also harmful because name-calling attempts to falsely define people.1

For instance, calling someone “fat,” “retard,” “nerd,” or any other derogatory
name chips away at the target’s self-esteem, sense of self-worth, and self-
concept. To make matters worse, name-calling happens a lot and can
encourage that behavior in your child.

What Is Name-Calling?
Name-calling is abusive, derogatory language, or insults. It is a form of
relational bullying. Sadly, this behavior is common among kids. Name-
calling, which is sometimes dismissed as teasing or ribbing, is often present
in sibling bullying. However, this type of talk is very hurtful and can harm a
child's sense of self.

In fact, 75% of elementary school students say they are called names on a
regular basis at school. They also consistently witness students call others
words like "stupid" or "spaz" and nearly 50% hear things like "you're so gay"
or "that's so gay." Swear words and derogatory euphemisms for body parts
are also used.

Meanwhile, frequency is just as bad or worse at the middle school and high
school levels with nearly 65% of students indicating that name-calling is a
serious issue at their school.1 Regardless of the names the victim is called,
the underlying and repeating messages are "you are not accepted" and
“you’re not good enough.” Name-calling can be a form of prejudicial
bullying.

Name-calling makes it difficult for victims to trust their perceptions about

themselves.
How to Help Kids Overcome Bullying

Name-calling hurts in the moment and can have many lasting repercussions.
The consequences of name-calling are varied, and can include the following:

Erodes Sense of Self

Over time, name-calling and other insults can slowly eat away at self-esteem
and victims will no longer see themselves realistically.2 For example, if a
person is regularly called “fat,” they may view themself as overweight even
after they lose weight. This type of distorted body image may set the stage
for an eating disorder.

May Compromise Beliefs and Values

When kids are insulted for having certain beliefs or values. This name-calling
may cause them to bend to peer pressure and compromise their beliefs in
order to escape the bullying. A teen that is called a “goody-goody” or "wimp"
may try to shake this image by doing things that go against their belief
system as they try to disprove the hurtful words.

Peer Pressure and Bullying

Damages Sense of Well-Being

Name-calling can cause noticeable changes in the personality and behavior
of those impacted. For instance, teen victims may be more tearful, hostile,
or withdrawn. They also may invent excuses to avoid school and lose
interest in outside activities. What's more, victims are often dissatisfied with
life. They also may struggle with feelings of loneliness and despair.2

Affects Identity
When a bully calls another person a name, they are attempting to control
how others see the person. For instance, a bully may call someone “stupid.”
This name-calling is usually done in front of others and is meant to
encourage others to view the person as “stupid” as well. If the name-calling
is repeated, over time others, including the target, may begin to associate
the word “stupid” with that person. And eventually, that hurtful label can
become part of who that person is.

How Kids Can Stand Up to Bullying

May Lead to Violence

In some cases, bullies who call others names may become violent with their
victims. Alternatively, targets of name-calling may act on their anger and
frustration by lashing out in a physical way. They also may begin to bully
others as well.3 If your child is being called names at school, bring it to the
attention of the teacher or the principal.

Many hate crimes begin with name-calling and escalate to violence.4 Never
ignore name-calling.

Prompts Internal Criticism

Name-calling often leads targets to take on the names as reality.2 As a
result, they begin to criticize themselves. If a person is called a “loser,” their
internal voice will learn to call themselves a loser as well when they make
mistakes. The problem is that this inner voice is hard to switch off and it’s
not very objective. Plus, hearing repeated name-calling normalizes this type
of communication and can validate the hurtful comments in the child's mind.

Affects Mood
It’s important to remember that sudden changes in mood can sometimes
signal that bullying is taking place. Never ignore a child’s changes in mood
or write them off as hormonal until you have determined why they appear
sullen, angry, or distant.

Changes in behavior, sleeping habits, and moods should always be

considered the first warning signs that something is wrong. It is not
uncommon for victims of name-calling and other types of bullying to
experience anxiety and depression.2 If your child shows a change in mood,
have them evaluated by a doctor right away.

Harms Mental Health

Name-calling can have serious consequences on mental health.1 In fact,
many researchers feel it is one of the most damaging forms of bullying.3 For
instance, some victims become so depressed from the name-calling that
they begin to feel worthless, helpless, and out of control. Some victims may
even contemplate suicide. If your child talks about death or wanting to die,
do not ignore their comments. Have your child evaluated by a medical
professional right away.

If you or your child are having suicidal thoughts, contact the National Suicide
Prevention Lifeline at 988 for support and assistance from a trained
counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.
Compromises Physical Health
Often, when kids are called names their physical health will be impacted. In
addition to having trouble eating or sleeping, they also may complain of an
upset stomach and headaches. Additionally, some victims may develop post-
traumatic stress disorder, ulcers, or other stress-related conditions.1

How Bullying Can Lead to PTSD in Kids

How to Respond to Name-Calling

Name-calling is one of the most painful types of bullying kids can
experience. For this reason, it is very important that parents never downplay
what their kids are feeling or tell them to just ignore it. Instead, brainstorm
with your child about ways they can stand up to the bullying. Sometimes all
it takes is a witty comeback or not reacting in-kind. Other times, it will
require a meeting with the principal or your child's teacher. The key is to
decide together what will work best.

Be sure to consider your child's perspective and personality in how you and
they respond as well. Some kids do better with different approaches, such as
walking away, asking a teacher for help, or simply commenting that the
person is being rude or a bully. It's also important to look at all sides of the
situation. Sometimes, it may turn out that your child has also done name-
calling (or other misbehavior) to the person doing it to them.

As hard as it may be, consider encouraging compassion for the person

bullying your child, as they may be struggling, too.

It may help your child to understand that people often bully due to their own
low self-esteem and that the name-calling is usually not about the target but
instead a reflection of their own insecurities. If you call-out this truth to your
child, you may be able to prevent your child from modeling this behavior in
the future, as well.

Helpful Strategies for Bullied Kids

A Word From Verywell

It is hard to hear that your child has been targeted by name-calling (or that
they are the one doing the bullying), but once you know, you can help.
Acknowledging what is happening and taking it seriously is usually a big
relief to kids who sometimes may fear that adults will blame them or right
off the behavior as not a big deal. Letting your child know that they are
important and valued and teaching them effective ways to respond are other
effective ways to help.

ABSTRACT EXAMPLE
A sample of 220 adults responded to a questionnaire on their recollections of name-calling and
nicknames while at school. Hurtful names were reported by 141 participants, who described coping
with them primarily by means of verbal retaliation or ignoring the names. Participants rarely told
teachers and most stated that their school was unhelpful. Although the experience was regarded
less negatively over time, this was not the case for those who reported finding the names most
hurtful. These participants reported greater effects on all areas of school life and a stronger
association of name-calling with physical bullying, and they rated their current feelings about the
past experience as more negative. The most common content of names referred to physical
appearance, play on the individual's own name, and animals, trends also found in studies of children
and in research into teasing. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)

Introduction

The subject of teasing and name-calling of children has in the recent years received a lot
of attention with researchers focusing on the impacts of these actions on the child. This
attention has risen from the recognition of the negative outcomes that are associated with
childhood teasing and name-calling.

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These forms of abuse are especially damaging since the child is emotionally vulnerable
and therefore prone to traumatisation for life. Storch et al (2004) explain that experiences
during childhood years play a major role in the development of a person and they
contribute to the future psychosocial well being of the individual.

While peer teasing and name-calling is damaging to the child, its impact is increased
significantly when the parent or caregiver of the child perpetrates it. This is because these
adult figures have responsibility for the child and they are supposed to offer protection
and support. This paper will seek to highlight the long-term damages caused to children
when they are subjected to name-calling, teasing, belittling, and other forms of verbal
aggression by their parents or caregivers.

Teasing and Name Calling

Teasing is a typical experience throughout the development years of a person and it can
play an important role during development. It is a common practice in many households
and everyone takes part in it as some point in life. Teasing is a normative behaviour in all
relationships and its multifaceted nature makes it very hard to analyze.

Keltner et al (1998) underscore this multiplicity of teasing through their observation that
“teasing is paradoxical… criticizes yet compliments, attacks yet makes people closer,
humiliates yet expresses affection” (p.1231). This observation is corroborated by
Langevin (2000) who reveals that teasing is ubiquitous; having both positive and negative
outcomes. It can have positive outcomes when it is done in sport or mischief and in a
playful and fun manner.

However, incessant teasing aimed at humiliating a person can have negative effects on
their growth and development. Teasing and name-calling by Parents and caregivers is
especially detrimental since they have an intimate knowledge of the target of the verbal
assault.

Storch, et al (2004) observe that being teased about personality has broader consequences
later in life than being teased about things like how you look or performance in school.
Parents and caregivers are more likely to tease children on their personality in a bid to
help socialize them. These teases have lasting effects on the child who is still in his
formative years.

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Why Parents and Caregivers Tease

As has been noted, teasing is regarded as normal behaviour in the society. Most parents
and caregivers assume that teasing is healthy for the child. This is because teasing
functions as a way of indirectly teaching social norms and values to the child. For
example, by teasing a child about sucking on their thumb, an understanding by the child
that this behaviour is not acceptable can be promoted.

Kowalski (2003) observes that teasing assists in the promotion of social conformity by
highlighting behaviour that is perceived as inappropriate within a group. Even so,
pervasive teasing and verbal aggression against children has multiple negative
implications on their future well-being.

Impacts of Childhood Verbal Aggression

While most parents and caregivers who engage in teasing and name-calling do not have
any malicious intent, their actions have far-reaching consequences on the life of the child.
Research indicates that in addition to the immediate impacts of verbal aggression on the
child, there are long-term effects that continue to be felt long after the actual teasing and
name-calling has stopped. This long term impacts of childhood teasing and name-calling
are addressed below.

Normalizing Verbal abuse

Children are highly impressionable and they ape the behaviour of the adults around them.
Because of this, name-calling and teasing has an effect of normalizing bad behaviour by a
child in their relationships with family members and other people in the society. Teasing
by parents and caregivers sends the message that this is acceptable behaviour.

The behaviour can therefore be expected to continue between siblings and even outside
the home environment. Victims of childhood verbal abuse are also more likely to
continue the same behaviour with their children. Gallagher (1999) observes that parents
are likely to use the same parenting techniques used on them by their parents on their
children. Their capability as parents will therefore be diminished because of their
childhood experience.

The normalizing effect of childhood verbal aggression also decreases the chances of the
individual forming meaningful relationships as an adult. Weinhold and Barry (2008)
explain that because of the repressive system that the child grew up in, they become
judgmental people who disapprove of others. The victim of parental teasing and name-
calling is likely to develop the same biases that their parents have. This will alienate the
childhood teasing victim from other people who will regard them as mean and hurtful.

Depression

While everybody experiences stress in the cause of their lives, victims of childhood
verbal aggression are more predisposed to suffer from higher rates of stress and possible
depression. McCabe et al (2003) highlights that there is a relationship between memories
of childhood teasing and later psychopathology with teasing experiences being related to
increased levels of depression in adulthood. The relationship arises since being teased by
an adult causes a child to develop a feeling of helplessness.

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Childhood teasing makes the child feel vulnerable since they are placed in a difficult
situation. By putting the child on the spot, the parent or caregiver makes them experience
discomfort. The child is in many instances unable to respond or react favourably to the
tease that increases the feeling of vulnerability.

This feeling is perpetuated into adulthood where the individual will develop a belief that
they have little control over what goes on in their life. McCabe et al (2003) observe that
this is the thinking pattern that predisposes a person to depression since they feel helpless
regarding the situations they are going through.
Depression might also be triggered by social exclusion that the child faces. McCabe et al
(2003) notes that children who are teased receive “lower peer ratings of social acceptance
and higher peer ratings of social rejection” (p.191). Lack of social support increases the
likelihood of stress developing into depression.

Low self-esteem

Verbal and emotional abuse is harmful for the psychological development of the child. A
child who grows up with verbal abuse is constantly rejected by his parents who express
disapproval of the child’s behaviour. This has an impact on the child’s self-esteem which
is a central factor affecting their psychological functioning.

Salmivalli (1999) defines a healthy self-esteem as one that is manifested in “overall

acceptance of oneself as a person and in feeling of worthiness and self-confidence” (p.
1270). Teasing includes some attributes of the individual and these attributes contribute
to the overall feeling that the child has concerning their entire self.

Weinhold and Barry (2008) observe that rejection and disapproval leads children to
develop a negative self-image, low self-esteem, and self-hatred. Verbal abuse conveys the
message that the child is worthless, flawed, unloved, and unwanted. As a result, the
victimized children generally disapprove of themselves just as their parents and
caregivers disapproved of them.

Teasing results in lower perception of self-worth by the individual. In most cases, severe
teasing is aimed at deriding a person and humiliating them. Most victims of childhood
teasing and name-calling attribute these behaviour to their own personal traits or
behaviour. Instead of seeing the adult as being responsible for the abuse, the child blames
himself or herself for this happening to them.

This results in poor mental functioning since a feeling of inadequacy is developed from
an early age. The child will therefore grow up feeling unworthy because of these verbal
abuses.
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Name-calling results in a cognitive change in the victim. The victim begins to believe
that the abuses they receive are a true reflection of who they are. For example, if the
victim is being called a “big baby” or “idiot”, he starts thinking that this must be true, for
otherwise the adult would not have said it. Gallagher (1999) states that this results in a
gradual but pervasive erosion of self-esteem in the individual as the verbal abuse
continues.

Anxiety

Childhood teasing predisposes a person to anxiety problems in adulthood. Victims of

teasing and name-calling experience more anxiety and insecurity compared to their peers
who are not subjected to this forms of abuse. Patients at an anxiety disorder clinic were
asked to fill a self-report questionnaire on their teasing history and 85% of them
responded that they had experienced severe teasing as children (Roth et al. 2002).

Perceptions of severe teasing in childhood particularly increase the risk of anxiety in

social situations. This is especially the case if the individual experienced pervasive
teasing that was meant to demean and degrade him/her in social contexts. Parents
sometimes tease their children when they behave in a way that is humiliating or
embarrassing.

This results in social phobia by the person where they live in fear of being negatively
evaluated by the community. Some form of teasing is aimed at an individual’s social
behaviour and it results in the person being teased when they act in a certain way. This
negative evaluation leads to development of social anxiety.
Roth et al (2002) theorize that children who are subjected to verbal abuse learn to view
the world as a dangerous place from an early age. They therefore feel the need to always
be on alert and this creates an anxiety problem. This anxiety arises since the social
situation is viewed as a dangerous situation that might cause failure and subsequent
embarrassment for the childhood teasing victim.

Teasing causes the child to develop a negative image of their social self. This negative
observer-perspective image is informed by the parent or caregiver’s reaction to the
child’s behaviour. The child will have doubts concerning their social competencies and
will develop a false image of their social self.

Hackmann et al. (2000) warns that this flawed social-self image will be activated in
future anxiety-provoking situations that will lead to a spike in the anxiety level of the
individual. McCabe et al (2003) explains this phenomenon by noting that severe teasing
causes the person to associate certain social situations with a particular negative memory.
This increases the anxiety of the person in the particular situation. The person will
therefore find it hard to deal normally in such situations due to the memories of teasing.

Attachment difficulties

The ability of the individual to form and sustain meaningful relationships is also
hampered by childhood verbal abuse. The ability of an individual to form a secure
identity directly influences their ability to form healthy relationships in future. Teasing
results in feelings of insecurity and low self-esteem by the child.

Research by Storch et al (2004) documents those individuals who were subjected to

frequent childhood teasing experienced higher levels of loneliness later in life. One of the
reasons for this is that intense teasing causes a person to live in fear of negative
evaluation. All healthy relationships require a person to open up to others and expose
their strengths and fears.

Teasing causes the victim to be less friendly and exhibit poor social skills. Kowalski
(2003) observes that victims of frequent teasing are guarded and apprehensive about new
relationships. This hesitation when entering social relationships is the result of the
suspicion with which the victim of teasing has about other people’s intentions. Even
when the victim of childhood teasing enters into a relationship, it is doomed to be
strained since they remain guarded and are unable to express themselves properly.

The individual is likely to avoid social interactions where they might form new
relationships. Kowalski (2003) explains this by revealing that most episodes of teasing
and name-calling take place in a social context. Childhood teasing increases the
discomfort faced by the individual during social interactions and they might seek to
reduce the teasing by becoming loners.

The victim of intense childhood taunting is also likely to engage in an abuse adult
relationship. They may actively seek for condemnation and punishment from other
people since they feel that they deserve it. Since verbal abuse was a constant part of their
childhood, they will also assume that it is expected in a normal relationship. Keltner et al
(1998) warns that victims of childhood abuse will be more willing to put up with abusive
relationships than those who had normal childhoods.

Development

The childhood phase is very important in the psychological development of the

individual. It is during this period that the child is developing beliefs about
himself/herself and the world. Personal identity is developed in the context of social
relations and the influential theorist, Harry Stack Sullivan, underscores the significance
of interpersonal relationships in the formation of the self-identity. Teasing and name
calling results in serious psychological consequences for the child facing the verbal
abuse.

This is because the child’s sense of self, which is developing, is informed by his/her
relationship with peers as well as parents and caregivers. Gallagher (1999) states that a
positive relationship with adults and peers has a positive impact on the cognitive, social,
and language growth of the child. Teasing and name-calling have a high likelihood of
impeding the psychosocial-emotional development of the child.

Verbal aggression has a negative impact on the psychosocial growth of the child. This
negative effect can be elaborated by looking at stage 4 of Erickson’s psychosocial
development. In this stage, children face the conflict of industry versus inferiority. They
focus on mastering important cognitive and social skills and are intent on evaluating their
competencies as they engage in social comparison (Sigelman & Rider 2008).

In this stage, it is important for the children to be encouraged by adults to acquire a sense
of industry. The acquisition of a sense of industry rather than one of inferiority will occur
if their comparisons are favourable. Verbal abuse encourages inferiority since it makes
the child to feel inadequate and inferior.

The abuse also highlights what the child cannot do instead of what they can do therefore
decreasing their sense of competence. Instead of focusing on the abilities of the child,
teasing and name-calling brings to focus deficiency that a child has.

Tony Humphreys is another child development scholar who articulates the importance of
positive response to a child’s development. He contends that children regard the manner
in which their parents treat them as a mirror of what they are (Humphreys 2005).

If the parent reacts to them with teases and verbal abuse, the child’s self-esteem will be
damaged and they will develop inner conflict. For the child to develop in the best
possible way, it is necessary for the child to express love and affection to their young
children. If this is done, the child will respond positively and feel secure therefore
developing self-confidence.

Eating Disorders

Teasing might also result in eating disorders and body image issues by the victim in later
years. This happens when the teasing suffered was primarily focused on the physical
appearance of the victim. Research indicates that teasing about body size or shape will
cause the child to develop a negative image concerning their physical attributes. This
negative self-image will be imbedded in the child’s mind as the teasing continues.

Kowalski (2003) advances that the victim will attempt to alter their appearances in order
to wade off teasing. This altering might engage unhealthy eating which causes eating
disorders. A study by Eisenberg, and Neumark (2003) demonstrated that weight-based
teasing by family members is a risk factor for negative body image as well as disordered
eating. This is true since individuals who are teased about their body suffer from lower
body satisfaction compared with those not teased.

Teasing about body weight leads to an unhealthy expectation of body shape and weight
by the victim even through adulthood. Eisenberg and Neumark (2003) highlight that
many individuals who are teased about their weight engage in unhealthy weight control
practices. These unhealthy practices are complemented by poor eating habits in an effort
to obtain the ideal body shape and weight.

Alcohol and Substance Abuse

Teasing and name-calling are hurtful experiences and children will look for ways to cope
with these abuses. The coping mechanisms employed by a child during the teasing and
name-calling episodes may lead to the development of additional symptoms or avoidance
strategies in adulthood.

Studies indicate that there is a relationship between childhood verbal abuse and chemical
dependency. Teasing and name-calling result in emotional abuse to the child. This is
because these forms of verbal abuse are characterized by criticism, ridicule, belittling,
and faultfinding. The child is made to feel that he/she is not lovable or worthy.

From these, a child will end up feeling less than perfect and they might react by looking
for escapes. Victims of childhood verbal abuse from parents or caregivers may seek
comfort or escape through alcohol. This risk of chemical dependency is heightened by the
fact that parents who engage in verbal abuse are have limited engagement with their
children and offer little emotional encouragement.
Teasing and name-calling is often accompanied by low parental support and a sense of
disconnection between the parent or guardian and the child. This lack of concern may
cause the child to take up bad habits. McVittie and Best (2009) note that young adults
who experienced low parental support were likely to drink and smoke.

Life satisfaction

Teasing increases the risk of dissatisfaction with life by the victim in future. Life
satisfaction is influenced by a number of factors including; self-perception and the quality
of relationships that an individual has. As it has been noted in this paper, childhood
teasing predisposes a person to having attachment difficulties.

He/she finds it hard to form and/or maintain meaningful social relationships with others.
In addition to this, teasing will lead to the formation of a negative self-perception and
development of low self-esteem. All these issues will negatively influence the life
satisfaction of the person. Roth (2002) asserts that a history of teasing and name-calling
by parents and caregivers will increase the chances of a person having low life
satisfaction in adulthood.

In addition to this, teasing a child increases the likelihood of him/her being a victimized
in future. Storch, et al. (2004) explains that visible outward reactions such as distress,
sadness, and shyness mark out an individual as a target for teasing. Chronic teasing in the
childhood years will therefore lead to the development of an anxious and shy personality
that will predispose the individual to further teasing during adulthood.

Criminal Activity

Some forms of verbal aggression can result in future deviant behaviour by the victim.
This is especially the case when the child is ostracized for misbehaviour by being labelled
a rogue. Plummer (2000) confirms that by labelling the child a crook because
misbehaviour, the child may start viewing himself as actually being one.
He is at risk of developing a deviant self-identity since the parent or caregiver has
labelled him as such. Plummer (2000) suggests that labelling compelled an individual to
become the very thing he/she is perceived to be. This faulty self-identity is reinforced
since when the child engages in bad conduct, the name-calling occurs. The victims of
child teasing are likely to rebel and since they view themselves as “bad”, they end up
playing out this role.

Codependency

Teasing conveys the message that someone is only of value if they meet someone else’s
needs. This predisposes the child to develop co-dependency in future. Bradshaw (2005)
states that childhood verbal aggression can lead to codependency where the child will
place their needs below those of others. Since the child grows up believing that they are
only valuable if they please other people, they develop a lack of self-belief and seek
approval from others.

In addition to this, teasing and name-calling make the child feel that they are inferior to
others and not worthy of attention. Due to the victimization in childhood, the individual
has great risk of becoming dependent on outside sources to validate themselves.
Codependency prevents a person from creating a healthy self-identity. The authentic self
is ruptured and this leads to a development of a false self.

How can we break this cycle?

This study on the impact of verbal aggression on children had demonstrated that this
behaviour has many negative repercussions on the child. It is therefore necessary for
action to be taken to mitigate the occurrence of this counterproductive behaviour.
Introduction of laws to protect children from verbal aggression and educating parents on
the best way to bring up their children are two possible ways of mitigating this problem.

Child Protection Laws

Ireland prides itself with having a robust framework of laws that seek to provide services
to children and to produce child protection policies for the specific needs that children
may have. These laws are aimed at assisting children to develop into adults under a safe
environment and therefore become productive members of the society.

Since childhood teasing and name-calling has been recognized as a detrimental practice
in the life of the individual, efforts should be made to comprehensively address the issue
at the local and state level through policy development.

In recognition of the danger that childhood verbal aggression has on the individual, the
Irish government should come up with laws that protect children from this form of abuse.
Child welfare workers should be taught on how to prevent and respond to verbal
aggression against children and if necessary being the case to the attention of the
statutory authorities.

Child protection legislation in Ireland should be implemented to determine appropriate

responses to verbal aggression. At the least, such legislation would serve as deterrence to
parents and care givers who would be liable to civil or criminal charges if they are found
guilty of engaging in the practice. Even so, care should be taken to ensure that parents are
not prevented from exercising control over their children by the imposition of stringent
laws.

Informing Parents

The nature and quality of the parent-child relationship can either reduce or exacerbate the
chances that a child will abuse alcohol, suffer from depression, become depressed, or
become delinquent (McVittie & Best 2009). It is important that parents adopt the kind of
parenting that promotes development and protects the children from future adverse
impacts.

The most effective parenting styles are already known and the difficulty remains in
helping parents to adopt them. McVittie and Best (2009) best articulates this dilemma by
stating that the challenges ahead involve findings ways to educate adults with regard to
how they can adopt the best parenting style for their children.

Research indicates that childhood experiences have a huge impact on the emotional
development of the child with teasing having a negative impact on their psychological
functioning (Storch et al.2004; McCabe et al 2003; Hackmann et al. 2000). Besag (1999)
states that name calling is one of the most distressing behaviour that children have to deal
with and its damaging effects are often underestimated by the adults.

This wrong estimate of the effects of teasing and name-calling makes the parents and
caregivers engage in this damaging habit without knowing that they are causing lasting
emotional damage on the child. Parenting lessons will help the adult to recognize the
potential harm that may result from teasing.

Many individuals find the idea of parental education as absurd. This is because of the
underlying assumption by majority of the people that good parenting skills are inherent in
all parents. It is therefore assumed that all parents will intuitively know the best way to
raise their babies. This is not the case and research indicates that good parenting skills do
not come naturally in everyone.

An important consideration in parenting classes is that they recognize that each parent
has autonomy over their children. The classes do not impose any values that are contrary
to the parent’s own. Instead, a parent is introduced to effective styles of raising their
children. Parental classes will highlight the damage that verbal abuse has on the
emotional and psychological wellbeing of the child. The prevalence of childhood teasing
by parents and caregivers is attributed to the ignorance of the effect of this behaviour by
the parents.

Research indicates that many adults underestimate the stress and anguish that children
have to deal with because of teasing (Besag 1999). By being made aware of the far-
reaching consequences that teasing and name-calling has on the future of their children, it
is highly unlikely that the parent will engage in this damaging behaviour. Another
positive outcome is that the parent and caregiver will be keen to ensure that teasing is not
allowed even among the children.

The effectiveness of parental classes is high especially if the adult is willing to complete
the program. Research shows that parenting classes can have a positive impact on the
way in which parents and caregivers interact with children.

McVittie & Best (2009) report that parents who completed parenting classes on how to
become more authoritative reported changes in their behaviour towards this end. Good
parenting will result in children who are more academically competent and
psychosocially healthy. These children will group up to be productive members of the
community who enjoy satisfaction in their lives.

While it would be ideal if all parents were involved in good parenting classes,
implementing this would be impossible. Any attempts to force parents into such classes
would be futile. If these were to happen, parents would either boycott such efforts or
attend the classes out of obligation. This would diminish any value that the parents would
gain from the classes.

Discussion

The past decade has witnessed an unprecedented growth in awareness in the subject of
childhood teasing and its impacts on the future wellbeing of the individual. So far,
researchers have not addressed the issue of teasing, name-calling and other forms of
verbal aggression in the context of child protection or abuse since these behaviours are
seen as typical in the development years of an individual. However, this paper has
explicitly highlighted the negative impact that these practices have on the person.

While reactions to childhood teasing and name-calling vary from child to child, research
indicates that these experiences are damaging to the future wellbeing of the individual.
Studies overwhelmingly supports the idea that teasing causes adverse mental health
affects years after the actual teasing has stopped.
There are treatments and supportive services available to help victims of childhood verbal
abuse cope with and overcome their conditions. While such services can help overcome
the negative self-image developed due to abuse, it would be better to prevent the abuse
from taking place in the first place. Proactive measures will avoid the need to address
dysfunctional cognitions developed because of teasing and name-calling in one’s
childhood years.

The paper has also highlighted the common misconception that all parents are naturally
equipped with the skills and knowledge to properly raise their children. While some
parenting skills are inherent in the individual parent, others are learnt. From the
discussions presented in this paper, it is evident that not all parents make use of the best
model techniques when bringing up their children. Such parents can therefore benefit
greatly from engaging in parenting classes.

Conclusion

Teasing has both immediate and long-term consequences on the child and this study has
focused on the long-term damages caused to children when they are teased or called
names by their parents or caregivers. The paper also endeavoured to propose ways
through which this detrimental practice can be mitigated or eliminated from our society.
It began by noting that teasing and name-calling are common practice in many
households.

The paper then demonstrated how teasing and name-calling can result in long lasting
emotional repercussions on the child. A link has been established between childhood
experiences of name-calling and codependent behaviours, low self-esteem, depression,
and anxiety in adulthood.

Considering the link between childhood teasing and psychosocial disorders in adulthood,
this paper has proposed the enactment of laws that protect children from these forms of
abuse from their parents and caregivers. The paper has also proposed voluntary
educational experience by the parents to help them acquire the best parenting skills. By
undertaking these proactive measures, verbal aggression against children can be
overcome and the future well-being of children guaranteed.

References

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Bradshaw, J 2005, Healing the Shame That Binds You, HCI, Boston.

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Emotional Well-being Among Adolescents’, Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med, vol. 57 no. 8,
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Gallagher, T 1999, Pragmatics of language: clinical practice issues, Singular, San Diego,
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Hackmann, A Clark, DM & McManus, F 2000, ‘Recurrent images and early memories in
social phobia’, Behaviour Research and Therapy, vol. 38 no. 2, pp. 601–610.

Humphreys, T 2005, Self-Esteem: The Key to Your Child’s Future, NewLeaf, Boston.

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Kowalski, RM 2000, ‘“I was only kidding!”: Victims’ and perpetrators’ perceptions of
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Langevin, M 2000, Teasing/ Bullying experienced by children who stutter, CICSD,

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Disorders in Adults and Self- Reported History of Teasing or Bullying
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CICI

In the Philippines, Senator Risa Hontiveros has been actively involved in

defending the rights of children, particularly in cases of abuse and
exploitation. As the chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Women and
Children, she called for the investigation of the Socorro Bayanihan Services Inc.
(SBSI), which controls about 3,000 members – more than half of them children
– in a hinterland area called Kapihan in Socorro town, southern Surigao del
Norte province. This group was accused of forcing children into detrimental
activities ([Benar
News](https://www.benarnews.org/english/news/philippine/senate-hearing-
09282023141017.html)).

Additionally, the Commission on Human Rights called out Senator Robinhood

“Robin” Padilla for his remarks that suggested students could tolerate “slight”
physical bullying. This incident highlights the ongoing concern and debate
over the protection of children from all forms of bullying and abuse in the
Philippines
([Philstar](https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2023/02/21/2246570/chr-calls-
out-sen-robin-padilla-all-forms-bullying-hurt-children)).

Senator Hontiveros's efforts are part of a broader initiative by the Senate

Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality to
address and investigate alleged abuses within organizations, ensuring the
protection and welfare of children in the Philippines.
R3PORT IN PHILOSOPHY