Citation

Mehta D, Kelly AB, Laurens KR, Haslam D, Williams KE, Walsh K, Baker PRA, Carter HE, Khawaja NG, Zelenko O, Mathews B. Child Psychiatry Hum. Dev. 2021; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s10578-021-01258-8

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Child maltreatment rates remain unacceptably high and rates are likely to escalate as COVID-related economic problems continue. A comprehensive and evidence-building approach is needed to prevent, detect and intervene where child maltreatment occurs. This review identifies key challenges in definitions, overviews the latest data on prevalence rates, reviews risk and protective factors, and examines common long-term mental health outcomes for children who experience maltreatment. The review takes a systems approach to child maltreatment outcomes through its focus on the overall burden of disease, gene-environment interactions, neurobiological mechanisms and social ecologies linking maltreatment to mental ill-health. Five recommendations relating to the accurate measurement of trends, research on brain structures and processes, improving the reach and impact of teleservices for detecting, preventing and treating child maladjustment, community-based approaches, and building population-focused multidisciplinary alliances and think tanks are presented.

Language: en

Keywords

Outcomes; Child maltreatment; Child abuse and neglect; Community-based prevention; Family-oriented prevention; School-based prevention