Effects of emotional neglect on the development of children in rural areas: A literature review

Abstract

Child emotional neglect is one of the most prevalent phenomena in rural areas that is overlooked, probably due to its invisible occurrence and its unseen scars. In most cases, parents are fascinated by physical care, working hard to buy food and other necessities, which is a good thing, but this is most likely to put a strain in child-parent interactions. The aim of the study was to accentuate the effects of emotional neglect on the development of children in rural areas. Researchers used literature review as a research methodology and purposively selected information from articles and journals. The study found that child emotional neglect is a common childhood maltreatment in rural areas, and is perhaps influenced by the dominant culture and stressors that accompany the low socio-economic status of people in rural areas. Thus, we conclude that good parenting does not come natural, but is affected by life circumstances, which in turn lead to devastating effects on child development. Moreover, child emotional neglect is a subtle child maltreatment which is not easy to detect or recognise, and is mostly not intentional. Hence, researchers recommend more awareness of child emotional neglect, especially in rural areas to encourage proper parenting that enhances sufficient child development.