The recognition that childhood maltreatment is a significant risk factor for psychological distress

The gap

Evidence profile

Sourced from the future work and stated research gap and abstract and future-work section of the source papers, classified as general, drawn from work published between 2025 and 2026, spanning 5 journals. Those papers have been cited 22 times in total.

Supporting evidence — 8 representative gaps

• “I was so Disconnected”: The Role of Social Bonds in Surviving Childhood Maltreatment (2026) · Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma · doi

  Future research should continue to focus on why certain individuals refrain from antisocial behavior, despite the childhood maltreatment they experienced (Benedini & Fagan, 2018; Zhang et al., 2026). Studies exploring the role of social bonds with large, representative samples should take into consideration the gendered and cultural differences in childhood maltreatment. This would con- tribute to our understanding of the nature of childhood maltreatment, and how to best address it through policy (Cerdeña et al., 2021; Chan et al., 2011; Ibanez et al., 2006; Jung et al., 2015; Tyler et al., 2008; Zhang et al., 2026). The findings suggest that involvement is crucial in early childhood and adolescence for helping victims of child abuse and neglect form social bonds that reduce the likelihood of participation in antisocial behavior and for facilitating resiliency. This is an important avenue for future research to explore.

  generalfuture work
  Keywords: childhood maltreatment future antisocial behavior zhang social bonds continue focus certain individuals refrain despite experienced
• Profiles of Adversity Across Family, Peer, and School: Predicting Depressive and Externalizing Symptoms Through Belief in a Just World Among Chinese Adolescents (2026) · Child Psychiatry & Human Development · doi

  The associations between the three adversity indicators and adolescent adjustment can be understood through comple- mentary theoretical perspectives. The socio-ecological dia- thesis-stress model suggests that stressful life events may activate cognitive vulnerabilities and contribute to maladap- tive outcomes, including depressive symptoms [15]. Gen- eral strain theory further proposes that adverse experiences may generate strain and emotional distress, which can be expressed through behavioral problems [16]. These per- spectives provide a theoretical basis for understanding why childhood maltreatment, bullying victimization, and weak- ness in social competition may be associated with adoles- cent depressive and externalizing symptoms. Childhood maltreatment represents a form of family- related adversity and includes abuse and neglect experienced by individuals under the age of 18 [17]. It is particularly relevant in the Chinese context, as maltreatment has been reported to be more prevalent in the parenting practices of Chinese parents than among European and U.S. parents [18]. Existing longitudinal and meta-analytic evidence consistently links childhood maltreatment to adolescent depressive and externalizing symptoms, particularly when maltreatment occurs early, is repeated, or involves multiple types [11, 19, 20]. Bullying victimization, a specific form of peer-related adversity, refers to adolescents’ exposure to intentional and harmful behaviors perpetrated by peers or peer groups, typically characterized by repetition and a power imbal- ance between the victim and the perpetrator [21]. During adolescence, peer acceptance and belonging become par- ticularly important [22]. Thus, bullying victimization may intensify feelings of rejection and elicit anger or retaliatory responses, which are associated with increased depressive and externalizing symptoms [12]. Weakness in social competition was conceptualized in this study as a form of school-related evaluative adversity. It refers to adolescents’ perceived disadvantage or repeated failure in school-based contexts involving comparison, selection, ranking, or reward, such as academic performance and selection for school or class positions [23]. Unlike childhood maltreatment and bullying victimization, which primarily involve interpersonal harm within family or peer contexts, this construct reflects subjective experiences of relative disadvantage and unfavorable social comparison in school-based evaluative and competitive domains. Empiri- cal evidence has linked weakness in social competition to higher levels of depressive and externalizing symptoms among adolescents [9, 13].

  generalfuture work
  Keywords: maltreatment depressive symptoms adversity childhood bullying victimization social externalizing peer school competition form related adolescents
• A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis of the Association Between Childhood Maltreatment and Adult Depression (2025) · Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica · cited 22× · doi

  There is a paucity of reviews examining the strength of the association between childhood maltreatment and depression. The current study addresses the limitations of previous research by providing a comprehensive review and meta-analysis of the association between childhood maltreatment and adult depression.

  generalstated research gapevidence 5/5
  Keywords: there paucity reviews examining strength association between childhood
• Bidirectional Association Between Psychological Resilience and Depression in Early Adolescents: the Predictive Role of Childhood Maltreatment (2026) · Child Psychiatry & Human Development · doi

  The lack of consensus regarding the specific impacts of each type of childhood abuse on depressive outcomes. The need to examine the distinct effects of different forms of childhood maltreatment on depression and resilience. The importance of considering childhood maltreatment in understanding adolescent depression.

  generalstated research gapevidence 5/5
  Keywords: lack consensus regarding specific impacts each type childhood
• Emotion Regulation Difficulties Account for the Associations Between Childhood Maltreatment and Perceived Stress in Young Adulthood (2026) · Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma · doi

  The paper identifies a gap in understanding the relationship between childhood maltreatment and perceived stress in adulthood, and the role of emotion regulation difficulties in this relationship. There is a need for longitudinal designs to investigate the causal relationships between childhood maltreatment, emotion regulation difficulties, and perceived stress.

  generalstated research gapevidence 5/5
  Keywords: paper identifies gap understanding relationship between childhood maltreatment
• Childhood maltreatment and mid-life cognitive functioning: divergent psychosocial pathways linked to ethnoracial group (2026) · Journal of Behavioral Medicine · doi

  The mechanisms that drive the association between childhood maltreatment and cognitive decline are not well understood. There is a need to consider ethnoracial group differences in this relationship. Prior work has not fully explored the role of depression and perceived stress in this relationship.

  generalstated research gapevidence 5/5
  Keywords: mechanisms drive association between childhood maltreatment cognitive decline
• Childhood maltreatment increases psychological distress among adolescents: Longitudinal mediating roles of self‐continuity and self‐control (2026) · Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being · doi

  Abstract Despite the recognition that childhood maltreatment is a significant risk factor for psychological distress, few have differentiated the distinct effects of childhood abuse and neglect, and the underlying mechanisms remain inadequately understood.

  generalabstractevidence 4/5
  Keywords: childhood abstract despite recognition maltreatment significant risk factor psychological distress differentiated distinct effects abuse neglect
• Childhood maltreatment and mid-life cognitive functioning: divergent psychosocial pathways linked to ethnoracial group (2026) · Journal of Behavioral Medicine · doi

  Further research is needed to understand the mechanisms driving the association between childhood maltreatment and cognitive decline, - Research should investigate the effects of childhood maltreatment on cognitive functioning in different ethnoracial groups, - Studies should examine the role of depressive symptoms and perceived stress in the relationship between childhood maltreatment and cognitive decline

  generalfuture-work sectionevidence 4/5
  Keywords: further research needed understand mechanisms driving association between

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