The Impact of Childhood Maltreatment on the Bipolar Disorder Course and Prognosis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Childhood emotional maltreatment and trauma-related outcomes: a systematic review and multilevel meta-analysis

These findings underscore the importance of CEM in trauma-related symptomatology and support the need for its systematic assessment in clinical and research settings, particularly by highlighting differences between emotional abuse and emotional neglect.

The Relationship Between Childhood Trauma and Substance Use Disorders: A Systematic Review

This systematic review aimed to synthesize primary evidence on the relationship between childhood trauma and adverse childhood experiences and alcohol or other psychoactive substance use or related disorders during adolescence or adulthood. Methods: Google Scholar, DergiPark, and TR Dizin were searched using Turkish and English keywords between January 2026 and August 17, 2026. In accordance with PRISMA 2020, 18 of the 96 identified records were removed as duplicates, 78 records were screened, 58 full-text reports were assessed, and 14 reports were excluded with reasons provided. Forty-four eligible primary observational studies were examined through structured narrative synthesis without meta-analysis. Study-level methodological quality was assessed using design-appropriate JBI checklists, while the certainty of evidence across outcome groups was evaluated using the GRADE approach. Results: Most studies reported positive associations between childhood trauma and earlier substance use initiation, frequency of use, alcohol or substance use disorders, overdose, and clinical severity. A cumulative exposure and dose–response pattern recurred across diverse samples. However, some associations weakened after adjustment for genetic and familial factors and other adverse childhood experiences; in certain clinical and child protection samples, no significant differences were found in consumption amount or by maltreatment type. GRADE rated evidence on alcohol, general substance use disorder, and initiation outcomes as low certainty and evidence on cannabis and clinical severity outcomes as very low certainty. Moreover, the absence of eligible primary studies from Türkiye highlighted a local evidence gap and the need for context-specific research. Conclusion: Childhood trauma is an important risk marker; however, heterogeneous measures, retrospective self-reports, confounding factors, and observational designs limit causal interpretation. The findings support safe, voluntary, trauma-informed assessment in addiction services and prospective, multicenter, well-controlled research.

Prenatal and childhood infections as risk factors for psychiatric disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES To perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of the associations between infections during the prenatal period or childhood and the risk of subsequent psychiatric disorders (including ADHD, ASD, internalising and psychotic disorders) considering timing (prenatal and childhood), type (bacterial vs viral), and trimester of infection. METHODS A systematic search of PubMed and ProQuest was conducted from 20 May 2024-15 July 2025 for cohort studies reporting psychiatric outcomes following infection exposure during pregnancy or childhood (0≤12 years). Study quality was assessed using the STROBE checklist. Where possible, random-effects meta-analyses were conducted using logarithmic risk ratios with 95% confidence intervals. RESULTS Seventy-five studies were included in the review, with 59 contributing to meta-analyses. Prenatal infection was associated with increased risk of ADHD (RR = 1.18; 95% CI: 1.07-1.31), ASD (RR = 1.17; 95% CI: 1.07-1.28), and psychotic disorders (RR = 1.21; 95% CI: 1.13-1.29). Childhood infection was also associated with ADHD (RR = 1.45; 95% CI: 1.27-1.66), ASD (RR = 1.41; 95% CI: 1.26-1.59), and psychosis (RR = 1.31; 95% CI: 1.07-1.60). Subgroup analyses indicated prenatal bacterial infections were associated with ADHD and ASD, while prenatal viral infections; particularly during the first-trimester, were linked to psychotic disorders. Childhood bacterial infections were also associated with ADHD and ASD. Too few studies were available to conduct meta-analyses for internalising disorders. CONCLUSION Early-life infection is associated with increased risk of multiple psychiatric outcomes. These findings support a role for immune activation during critical developmental periods in shaping later psychiatric risk.

Association between childhood neglect and psychiatric disorders in adults: systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression.

BACKGROUND Adverse childhood experiences are critical contributors to the development of psychiatric disorders. Despite its pervasive impact on mental health, childhood neglect remains underexplored. Here, we performed a first comprehensive synthesis of the association between neglect subtypes and psychiatric disorders. AIMS The primary aim was to quantify the overall association between neglect and psychiatric disorders, by estimating the odds ratios from clinical and control groups. The secondary aim was to examine the association between unspecified, physical and emotional neglect, and specific psychiatric disorders. METHOD Studies were systematically selected from three databases (PubMed, EMBASE and PsycINFO), focusing on adult populations with diagnosed psychiatric disorders and corresponding control groups. Meta-analyses assessed overall associations between neglect and psychiatric disorders, as well as subtypes-specific associations with distinct psychiatric conditions. Multiple meta-regressions were performed to explore moderating factors. RESULTS Strong associations were found between neglect and psychiatric disorders across all subtypes (unspecified neglect: odds ratio 3.63, 95% CI 2.19-6.01; physical neglect: odds ratio 3.27, 95% CI 2.51-4.25; emotional neglect: odds ratio 3.36, 95% CI 2.58-4.38). Subgroup analyses showed the strongest associations between unspecified neglect and bipolar disorder, physical neglect and schizophrenia spectrum disorders, and emotional neglect and major depressive disorder. Other associations emerged, although their interpretation was limited by a small number of studies and high heterogeneity levels. CONCLUSIONS Neglect is significantly associated with psychiatric disorders, with distinct patterns across neglect subtypes and mental health outcomes. These findings highlight the need for early identification and tailored interventions to mitigate neglect's long-term burden on mental health.

Exploring Psychological and Biological mediators between Childhood Adversity and Psychosis: An updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Childhood Emotional Neglect On Adult Attachment Style Among Non-Clinical Adults: A Systematic Review

Emotional neglect during childhood is a common yet frequently disregarded type of abuse that can have lasting impacts on psychological growth, such as attachment styles in adults. The Aim of the study is to systematically examine the association between childhood emotional neglect and adult attachment styles in non-clinical adult populations. Studies were included if they examined childhood emotions and attachment styles in adulthood within general adult populations, Clinical samples and unrelated findings were excluded. The review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. After eliminating duplicates, 44 records were assessed, and 22 studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Data were extracted and summarized narratively due to the variability in study designs, measures, and statistical methods. The risk of bias was evaluated using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Critical Appraisal Tools. Out of the 22 studies, 11 were categorized as low risk and 11 as moderate risk of bias, with no studies identified as high risk. The overall certainty of evidence was determined to be moderate. The review reveals that strong correlation between insecure adult attachment styles in the general population and emotional neglect during childhood. Additionally, attachment has been identified as a key mechanism that connects negative mental health outcomes like depression, distress, and interpersonal issues to childhood neglect.