How emotional neglect during childhood affects one's mental health

New: Gift this subscriber-only story to your friends and family

Emotional neglect is the most commonly experienced adverse childhood experience in Singapore, according to a landmark study on the prevalence of such experiences and their association with mental illness.

Emotional neglect is the feeling that no one in your family loved you, thought you were important or special, or the feeling that your family is not looking out for or supporting one another, said Ms Vivyan Chee, head of SSFR@Children's Society, who is not involved in the study.

Already a subscriber? 

Read the full story and more at $9.90/month

Get exclusive reports and insights with more than 500 subscriber-only articles every month

Unlock these benefits

  • All subscriber-only content on ST app and straitstimes.com

  • Easy access any time via ST app on 1 mobile device

  • E-paper with 2-week archive so you won't miss out on content that matters to you

Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.

A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on June 25, 2020, with the headline How emotional neglect during childhood affects one's mental health. Subscribe