Population-Based Estimates of Associations Between Child Maltreatment Types: A Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Although it is accepted that experiences of child maltreatment are multidimensional and often include several correlated but distinct experiences, many clinical and research decisions regarding exposure and treatment do not consider their potential overlap or potential independence. The purpose of this meta-analysis—using a single retrospective self-report measure, the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), in population-representative samples—was to investigate the magnitude and specificity of associations between forms of child maltreatment. A systematic review of studies available on PubMed, PsycINFO, and Google Scholar was conducted, resulting in the inclusion of nine journal articles, 11 independent samples, and 25,415 participants. Data were converted from Pearson correlations to Z statistics and pooled using a random effects model. All maltreatment types were positively and significantly associated. Effect sizes varied from medium to large, with (1) physical abuse and emotional abuse ( Z = 0.72, 95% CI [.48, .96]), (2) physical neglect and emotional neglect ( Z = 0.62, 95% CI [.43, .81]), and (3) emotional abuse and emotional neglect ( Z = 0.54, 95% CI [.35, .72]) demonstrating the strongest associations. These analyses provide evidence of the associations between types of child maltreatment, indicate the likelihood of shared risk, and point to characteristics that may link different types of maltreatment. These findings have important clinical implications as they may help guide comprehensive screening for associated maltreatment types as well as intervention and prevention efforts. Limitations include the relatively few studies included and those associated with the CTQ—a retrospective, self-report measure that does not account for the concurrence of experiences.

What is the expected human childhood? Insights from evolutionary anthropology

“…In contemporary industrialized (WEIRD) societies, correlations between different forms of adversity are consistently small to moderate (Dong et al, 2004;Finkelhor et al, 2007;Green et al, 2010;Matsumoto et al, 2020;McLaughlin et al, 2012;Smith & Pollak, 2021a), though which forms of adversity cluster together is inconsistent across studies (Jacobs et al, 2012). The existence of correlations among forms of adversity is not surprising.…”

Representación formal lógica de la superposición de signos de maltrato infantil: una revisión rápida de literatura

“…Los hallazgos corroboran que existen pocos estudios que emplean muestras con o sin MI para realizar análisis discriminantes con el criterio de grupos contrastantes (comparación intra e inter-grupos) (Matsumoto et al, 2021); análisis del efecto de la polivictimización (Bijlsma et al, 2022). De igual manera, se reconoce la persistencia de vacíos de conocimiento tales como: potencial de superposición, independencia entre los diversos tipos de MI, probabilidad de riesgo compartido, efectos de exposición prolongada, efectos de la exposición al trauma acumulativo (secuencial o simultaneo) (Bijlsma et al, 2022) y poco consenso para el establecimiento de indicadores de discriminación.…”

“…Incluso, ese ha sido uno de los argumentos utilizados para la justificación de la necesidad de técnicas de credibilidad del testimonio. Al respecto, Matsumoto et al (2021), manifiestan que las situaciones de MI son multidimensionales y con frecuencia tienen como base factores etiológicos que se correlacionan con distintos tipos de experiencias. Es por esto por lo que indican la necesidad de realizar procesos de evaluación e intervención que puedan identificar el potencial de superposición, independencia, asociación, probabilidad de riesgo compartido que tienen las modalidades del MI.…”

Differential Associations of Childhood Abuse and Neglect With Adult Autonomic Regulation and Mood-Related Pathology

“…Childhood maltreatment is posited to contribute to these health concerns through a "biological embedding" of the maltreatment, which likely occurs through developmental alterations to the biological systems responsible for responding to stress (4). The experience of childhood maltreatment includes several different types of exposures such as physical, sexual, and emotional abuse, as well as physical and emotional neglect (5). Notably, few studies have directly assessed how biological embedding of these maltreatment subtypes may play out into specific health outcomes in adulthood (6).…”