The Association Between Child Maltreatment and Quality of Life: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Huiping Zhang, Yang Wang, Xinger Xia et al.
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In 30 seconds
This systematic review and random-effects meta-analysis examined associations between child maltreatment (CM) and quality of life (QoL), drawing on 43 studies with 130,884 participants. Overall, CM was negatively associated with general QoL and its physical, mental, psychosocial, and environmental dimensions. CM subtypes were also negatively associated with QoL dimensions, with the exception of mental QoL. Emotional maltreatment showed stronger negative associations with QoL than other subtypes. The reported associations varied according to region, gender ratio, and measurement methods.
Key findings
- Across 43 studies and 130,884 participants, CM was negatively associated with general QoL and physical, mental, psychosocial, and environmental QoL.
- CM subtypes were negatively associated with QoL dimensions except mental QoL.
- Emotional maltreatment had stronger negative associations with QoL than other CM subtypes.
- Associations varied by region, gender ratio, and measurement methods.
Why it matters
The findings link childhood maltreatment with poorer quality of life across several domains, underscoring that its potential effects extend beyond mental health alone. The stronger association reported for emotional maltreatment may help guide research into which experiences relate most closely to later QoL, while variation across study characteristics cautions against assuming uniform effects.
What to keep in mind
The review reports that neglect received relatively less attention, limiting the evidence available for this subtype.