The Role of Childhood Trauma in Adult Mental Health

Bryce, I., & Collier, S. (2022). A systematic literature review of the contribution accumulation makes to psychological and physical trauma sustained through childhood maltreatment. Trauma Care, 2(2), 307-329. https://doi.org/10.3390/traumacare2020026.

This systematic literature review concerns the cumulative effects of ACEs on psychological and physical health, with specific regard for how ACEs influence the lives of individuals. The authors employ a systematic search strategy to select 12 primary qualitative research studies published in peer-reviewed journals between 2011 and 2022 to review the evidence regarding the relationship between accumulation and trauma. The authors’ background in education and trauma care makes their assertions more believable. In this view, the general harm or harm accumulation is understood in the relations between different forms of trauma and other forms of trauma as described in the trauma literature. It is different from other forms of sources, which may focus only on the specific kinds of trauma alone, whereas this work captures the relationships. This paper is very useful for my research, as it helps me to understand the impact that childhood maltreatment has on adult mental health. In conclusion, the review makes a call for a specialty in addressing the matters concerning trauma care practices.

Pastore, A., De Girolamo, G., Tafuri, S., Tomasicchio, A., & Margari, F. (2020). Traumatic experiences in childhood and adolescence: A meta-analysis of prospective studies assessing risk for psychosis. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 31(2), 215-228. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-020-01574-9.

This meta-analysis focuses on the link between childhood trauma and psychosis in adults, with specific attention to maltreatment, peer victimization, and parental loss. The study’s method involved the screening of 9016 papers, out of which only 23 papers were included in the study. The authors, both psychiatrists and neuroscientists, argue that bullying by peers (OR 2·28) and maltreatment (OR 2·20) are predictors of psychosis, especially in susceptible genetic backgrounds. In contrast to other literature, this source discusses the impact of multiple exposures to trauma as a whole, rather than particular types of trauma. This distinction is helpful for my study on how childhood trauma affects mental health in adults, as it offers proof of how negative experiences in childhood can cause serious mental health issues. The authors have supported their theory that early trauma is a major predictor of psychotic symptoms in later years, thus emphasizing the importance of early treatment.

Strathearn, L., Giannotti, M., Mills, R., Kisely, S., Najman, J., & Abajobir, A. (2020). Long-term cognitive, psychological, and health outcomes associated with child abuse and neglect. Pediatrics, 146(4). https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2020-0438.

This article examines the effects of different forms of child neglect and abuse on adult psychological, cognitive, and physical functioning. The authors conduct an analysis of the Mater-University of Queensland Study of Pregnancy, which shows that emotional abuse and neglect increase the chances of the development of mental health problems, such as anxiety or PTSD. The authors of the article are all pediatricians and psychologists, which makes the presented point of view rather objective, although a certain bias is observable due to the authors’ focus on psychological maltreatment. Different from other works that focus on sexual abuse, this work reveals the impact of one of the most severe forms of emotional abuse. The results, such as the fact that 7.1% of participants reported child maltreatment, highlight the need to understand the link between mental health in adulthood and childhood trauma. This source is useful in arguing my case in my research on childhood trauma and adult psychological problems, as it affirms how early adverse experiences predispose the later mental health status.

Senaratne, D. N., Thakkar, B., Smith, B. H., Hales, T. G., Marryat, L., & Colvin, L. A. (2024). The impact of adverse childhood experiences on multimorbidity: A systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Medicine, 22(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-024-03505-w.

The goal of this article is to synthesize and review the literature regarding ACEs and multimorbidity in adulthood. The authors note that at least one ACE was reported by 48.1% of the people, which led to a 34.5% rate of multimorbidity. The methodology involves a review of 25 studies involving 372,162 participants who establish a dose-response trend where each extra adverse childhood experience is associated with a 12.9% increased risk of multimorbidity. The authors specialize in public health, hence their work is most probably free from bias as they have analyzed it systematically. To the best of the author’s knowledge, this work compiles the extensive influence of ACEs on health in contrast to other studies that relate childhood trauma to specific mental health disorders. This source is useful for my study as it expands on the effects of childhood adversity, directly associates it with adult mental health, and further supports the call for trauma-sensitive medicine.

Xiao, Z., Baldwin, M. M., Meinck, F., Obsuth, I., & Murray, A. L. (2021). The impact of childhood psychological maltreatment on mental health outcomes in adulthood: A protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis. Systematic Reviews, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13643-021-01777-4.

This paper presents a review that seeks to address the effects of psychological abuse during childhood on mental health in adult life. The authors further illustrate that people who suffer from early childhood trauma do not outgrow such adversity, and instead, they may experience anxiety, depression, and PTSD later in life. The target population will comprise various classes of people who are in the field of psychology, mental health, and several other related disciplines. The authors of the article work in academic settings and have extensive knowledge of psychology, which adds to the credibility of the research. Unlike other works, which have mostly concentrated on physical child abuse, this work considers psychological abuse only. This source assists in understanding various effects of emotional abuse in contrast to other types of abuse, which is useful in the overall discussion of childhood trauma. Finally, the authors’ own view is that attempts to address psychological maltreatment should be central to the development of intervention strategies for abused adults.