What is classified as mental or emotional injury to a child?

Mental or emotional injury to a child is primarily classified as abuse because it involves intentional actions or patterns of behavior that harm a child's psychological well-being. This form of abuse can manifest in various ways, such as verbal abuse, manipulation, or other harmful interactions that negatively affect the child’s emotional development and mental health. The focus is on the intent and the adverse effects on the child’s emotional state, which distinguishes it from other forms of harm.

In contrast, distress caused by peer interactions, while potentially harmful, generally does not arise from a caregiver's direct actions and is often outside the scope of legal definitions of abuse. Neglect refers to a failure to provide for a child's basic physical and emotional needs but does not necessarily involve active harm or emotional injury as understood in the context of abuse. Behavioral issues may stem from a variety of sources and do not inherently point to emotional injury induced by harmful actions, thereby categorically separating them from the definition of abuse.