The research sought to examine the causal effects of childhood maltreatment on mental health by accounting for other genetic and environmental risk factors, such as a family history of mental illness and socioeconomic disadvantage.
The first-of-its-kind research analysed 34 quasi-experimental studies, involving over 54,000 people. Across the 34 studies, researchers found small effects of child maltreatment on a range of mental health problems, including internalising disorders (eg. Depression, anxiety, self-harm, and suicide attempt), externalising disorders (eg. alcohol and drug abuse, ADHD, and conduct problems), and psychosis.
These effects were consistent regardless of the method used or way in which maltreatment and mental health were measured. The findings suggest that preventing eight cases of child maltreatment would prevent one person from developing mental health problems.
'Childhood maltreatment and mental health problems: A systematic review and meta-analysis of quasi-experimental studies' by Jessie R Baldwin, Biyao Wang, Lucy Karwatowska, Tabea Schoeler, Anna Tsaligopoulou, Marcus R Munafo, Jean-Baptiste Pingault in American Journal of Psychiatry