Child abuse and mental health
Prospective and Retrospective Measures of Child Maltreatment and Their Association With Psychopathology A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis - Baldwin et al., 2024
This review compared prospective and retrospective measures of childhood maltreatment to see the strength of their associations with adult psychopathology. After analysing 24 studies, they found that retrospective measures (recall of past, personally experienced events) were more strongly associated with psychopathology than prospective measures (records of maltreatment observed in childhood). With retrospective measures being able to capture subjective appraisal, recall and associated schemas, these findings highlight key targets for more cognitive and memory-based treatments to buffer the impacts of maltreatment on adult psychopathology.
Published in JAMA Psychiatry. Read the full report here.
Published in JAMA Psychiatry. Read the full report here.
Long-term outcomes of childhood sexual abuse: an umbrella review - Hailes et al., 2019
This review systematically mapped various health outcomes in adulthood linked to childhood sexual abuse (CSA) by examining the methodological quality of existing meta-analyses. Although some findings were inconsistent, over 26 significant health outcomes were associated with childhood sexual abuse, with PTSD, schizophrenia and substance misuse meeting the highest standards of quality. This highlights how CSA predicts broad and long-term adverse outcomes across physical, psychiatric and psychosocial dimensions. Future research needs to investigate the underlying mechanisms for these associations and the interventions needed to mitigate the development of certain outcomes.
Published in The Lancet Psychiatry. Read the full report here.
Published in The Lancet Psychiatry. Read the full report here.
Childhood Maltreatment Predicts Unfavourable Course of Illness and Treatment Outcome in Depression: A Meta-Analysis - Nanni et al., 2011
This meta-analysis explored how childhood maltreatment could predict a more persistent or recurring depression course and whether this maltreatment could also predict a poorer response to treatment for depression. The findings suggest that childhood maltreatment contributes to a more treatment-resistant and persistent depression course, with the authors proposing that more intensive and long-term interventions are needed, while also emphasising the importance of assessing for maltreatment history for those with depression.
Published in the American Journal of Psychiatry. Read the full report here.
Published in the American Journal of Psychiatry. Read the full report here.