Many Chinese children are abused by their parents as children. There are many ways in which a parent can abuse a child. In most cases, the type of abuse is mental. Mental abuse can affect the child later in life. This type of abuse can alter the child’s mental health. In Falling Leaves, the way Adeline Yen Mah’s parents treated her as a child affected her mental health. When Adeline Yen Mah was born, her mother died shortly after. Adeline’s father blamed Adeline for her mother’s death. This is where the abuse Adeline experienced began. Because her father openly expressed regret that Adeline was born, he was emotionally abusing her in a form of abuse called rejection. By telling Adeline that he regrets that she was born, her father is making her feel unwanted and abandoned (Brriere). A year after Adeline was born, her dad remarried to Niang. When Niang has two new children, she begins to emotionally abuse Adeline and her siblings. Because Adeline is the youngest child and a girl, she takes the most abuse out of all of the children. After a while, Adeline’s dad starts to think poorly of Adeline and begins to become more abusive towards her. Her father would show no interest in her life. This type of abuse is in the form of ignoring Adeline (Brriere). As her father begins to think poorly of her, Adeline would strive even more to make her father proud in any way possible. This is an effect of her father ignoring her. Adeline showed signs of a low self-worth. This type of effect is seen in children who are ignored and rejected by their parents (Brriere). Her father is blinded by his love for Niang so no matter what Adeline does he is always disappointed in her. This lowered Adeline’s self-worth even more and set up a base of making decisions her parents would be proud of rather than doing what makes her happy. Niang begins to takes control of the house hold and controls Adeline’s life even more. Adeline is never allowed to have any friends around. When she breaks this rule, Adeline is swiftly and cruelly punished. This is a