Immediate impact of child maltreatment on mental, developmental, and physical health trajectories

Abstract

Objective The immediate impact of child maltreatment on health and developmental trajectories over time is unknown. Longitudinal studies starting in the direct aftermath of exposure with repeated follow‐up are needed. Method We assessed health and developmental outcomes in 6‐month intervals over 2 years in 173 children, aged 3–5 years at study entry, including 86 children with exposure to emotional and physical abuse or neglect within 6 months and 87 nonmaltreated children. Assessments included clinician‐administered, self‐ and parent‐report measures of psychiatric and behavioral symptoms, development, and physical health. Linear mixed models and latent growth curve analyses were used to contrast trajectories between groups and to investigate the impact of maltreatment features on trajectories. Results Maltreated children exhibited greater numbers of psychiatric diagnoses (b = 1.998, p < .001), externalizing (b = 13.29, p < .001) and internalizing (b = 11.70, p < .001) symptoms, impairments in cognitive (b = −11.586, p < .001), verbal (b = −10.687, p < .001), and motor development (b = −7.904, p = .006), and greater numbers of medical symptoms (b = 1.021, p < .001) compared to nonmaltreated children across all time‐points. Lifetime maltreatment severity and/or age at earliest maltreatment exposure predicted adverse outcomes over time. Conclusion The profound, immediate, and stable impact of maltreatment on health and developmental trajectories supports a biological embedding model and provides foundation to scrutinize the precise underlying mechanisms. Such knowledge will enable the development of early risk markers and mechanism‐driven interventions that mitigate adverse trajectories in maltreated children.

Almost 2 years into the COVID-19 pandemic: an update on parental stress, parent mental health, and the occurrence of child maltreatment

“…One limitation regarding our approach might be the potential underestimation of maltreatment reported only by parents (themselves). However, other studies also successfully used parental self-report for the assessment of the occurrence of child maltreatment [ 9 ], especially during the COVID-19 pandemic [ 12 , 51 ]. In general, using caregiver report is one approach for the assessment of child maltreatment, which should ideally be complemented by youth self-report and official physician or chart data [ 52 ].…”

“…Furthermore, an increase in child maltreatment, i.e., physical, emotional, or sexual abuse toward the child, or physical or emotional neglect of the child, has been widely discussed in the media and scientific literature since the beginning of the pandemic. Considering the detrimental effects of child maltreatment for child’s physical and mental health, both immediately in early ages [ 9 ] and across the lifespan [ 10 , 11 ], a potential increase of child maltreatment during the pandemic adds to this significant public health topic. First studies among community samples of parents ( N < 400) in the U.S. reported increased child abuse potential and punitive parenting [ 12 , 13 ].…”

Child maltreatment and resilience in adulthood: a protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis

“…CM is associated with a lifelong multitude of negative health and psychosocial outcomes and is a major environmental risk factor for the development of physical and mental illnesses later in one’s life (Chandan et al, 2019 ; Souama et al, 2023 ; Winters et al, 2022 ). CM is thought to play a key role in the aetiology and clinical course of highly debilitating mental disorders such as psychotic disorders (Schalinski et al, 2015 , 2019 ; Varese et al, 2012 ), bipolar and depressive disorders (Agnew-Blais & Danese, 2016 ; Humphreys et al, 2020 ), post-traumatic stress disorder (Rameckers et al, 2021 ), and personality disorders (Mielke et al, 2023 ) in adulthood.…”

A person‐centered data analytic approach to dopaminergic polygenic moderation of child maltreatment exposure

“…A multiple‐levels‐of‐analysis approach is integral to more fully articulating the diverse ways that child maltreatment compromises health (Cicchetti & Dawson, 2002). Regarding mental health, approximately 50% of internalizing disorders (i.e., depression, anxiety) are attributable to childhood maltreatment (Green et al., 2010; Zeanah & Humphreys, 2018) and exposure to maltreatment predicts internalizing symptoms that emerge early in development and are persistent across the life course (Nanni et al., 2012; Winter et al., 2022). Notably, not all individuals who experience child maltreatment go on to develop internalizing symptoms (Cicchetti & Toth, 2015).…”