ArticleFrontiers in behavioral neuroscience2026
From use to abuse: psychological, neurobiological, and spiritual pathways in relational harm and recovery.
Article in Frontiers in behavioral neuroscience, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
This viewpoint examines the distinction between relational "use" and "abuse" through psychological, neurobiological, relational, and spiritual lenses. It conceptualizes use as a form of mutual and ethical interdependence, whereas abuse is understood as a persistent pattern of control that undermines an individual's autonomy and self-worth. The paper highlights the profound impact of chronic emotional abuse on both mind and body, including dysregulation of stress-response systems, alterations in brain functioning, increased inflammation, and accelerated biological aging. It further emphasizes that the experience and impact of abuse vary across gender, age, and sociocultural contexts, often remaining unrecognized due to prevailing cultural norms. Additionally, the paper explores the role of spirituality in recovery, suggesting that it can facilitate meaning-making, enhance emotional regulation, and foster resilience, while acknowledging that its effectiveness is not universal. Ultimately, the paper positions relational abuse as a significant public health concern that requires nuanced, interdisciplinary, and culturally sensitive responses.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.