Abused or neglected children have changes to their brains: they don't simply choose to be uncooperative

Effects Of Child Abuse And Neglect On The Brain

Here and Now

NPR

July 23, 2014

Click to enlarge. (Source: Pat Levitt, 2009)

Hundreds of thousands of children suffer from neglect, abuse and trauma during their early years. Many of the psychological consequences are well known, but it’s becoming increasingly clear just how damaging they are to the developing brain.
Today in the final part of our series from WBUR called “Brain Matters: Reporting from the Frontlines of Neuroscience,” Iris Adler looks at a key issue in brain development: the biological consequences of early childhood neglect and trauma.