Childhood emotional maltreatment and trauma-related outcomes: a systematic review and multilevel meta-analysis.
Mohammad Hashim, Hina Sheel, Bushra Rahman et al.
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In 30 seconds
This systematic review and multilevel meta-analysis examined the association between childhood emotional maltreatment (CEM) and trauma-related outcomes, specifically PTSD and complex PTSD, across 323,776 participants. The analysis revealed a significant positive association (r = .27) between CEM and these outcomes, with emotional abuse showing a stronger correlation (r = .29) compared to emotional neglect (r = .24).
Key findings
- CEM is positively associated with PTSD and complex PTSD (r = .27).
- Emotional abuse has a stronger association with PTSD/CPTSD (r = .29) than emotional neglect (r = .24).
- Effect sizes for PTSD (r = .26) and CPTSD (r = .29) were similar.
- Higher estimates were found in high-income settings and more developed contexts.
Why it matters
Understanding the impact of childhood emotional maltreatment on trauma-related outcomes is crucial for developing effective prevention and intervention strategies. Clinicians should consider these associations when assessing trauma histories in patients.
What to keep in mind
The study primarily included cross-sectional designs and relied on self-report measures, which may affect the reliability of findings.