Child Abuse and Long-Term Consequences: A Review of Research Evidence

Child abuse is a serious social and psychological problem, with long-term effects on individuals’ physical, mental, and social health that have attracted significant research attention. This study aims to examine domestic and international scientific evidence on the types of child abuse and its long-term consequences. The study adopts a review methodology, analyzing and synthesizing ۲۰ domestic and ۲۰ reputable international articles published between ۲۰۰۴ and ۲۰۲۴. Using systematic search tools in electronic databases such as Google Scholar, PubMed, ProQuest, Ovid, ScienceDirect, and SID, and employing keywords related to “child abuse,” the findings indicate that child abuse encompasses physical, psychological, sexual abuse, and neglect. Contributing factors include poverty, domestic violence, parental addiction, and poor parenting skills. The long-term consequences of child abuse include mental disorders such as depression, anxiety, and high-risk behaviors, academic and social difficulties, reduced self-esteem, and chronic physical illnesses. The mechanisms explaining these outcomes involve emotional regulation impairments, prolonged activation of the HPA axis, and lack of social support. Based on these findings, it is recommended to strengthen parent education and empowerment programs, early interventions for at-risk children, and the development of social support networks. Limitations of the study include restricted sampling, self-report bias, and gaps in historical data. The results of this study can provide a foundation for designing preventive policies, psychological interventions, and targeted social support aimed at reducing child abuse and its long-term consequences.

Keywords:

Child abuse , long-term consequences , psychological disorders , neglect , prevention