Trauma,Violence,& Abuse

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a serious public health challenge with disproportionately high rates among United States (U.S.) Service Members and Veterans. IPV is often conceptualized as a unidirectional phenomenon despite evidence that most IPV is bidirectional, where both members of a couple use and experience IPV. This scoping review examined the current state of the literature on bidirectional IPV among Service Members and Veterans. MEDLINE, Embase, APA PsycInfo, APA PsyArticles, APA PsycExtra, CINAHL, CENTRAL, CDSR, Academic Search Premier, ERIC, Sociological Abstracts, PTSDpubs, ProQuest Dissertations & Abstracts, Scopus, and Web of Science databases were searched. Articles were selected based on the following inclusion criteria: (a) contains data on U.S. Service Members or Veterans over the age of 18; (b) measured IPV use (i.e., perpetration) and experience (i.e., victimization) during an overlapping period, and (c) reported bidirectional IPV at least once in either text, figures, or tables. Overall rates of bidirectional IPV across studies (n = 21) ranged from 25% to 66.9%; rates disaggregated by subtype ranged from 1.5% (bidirectional sexual IPV) to 94% (bidirectional psychological IPV). There was considerable cross-study variation in measurement and operationalization. No studies contained data from both Service Members and Veterans in the same study. Higher rates of overall bidirectional IPV were documented among Veterans (range: 28.4%–66.9%) relative to Service Members (25%). These results highlight the need to collect data on the bidirectional IPV from Service Members and Veterans in the same study and consistent approaches to measuring and operationalizing bidirectional IPV.

There is a pressing need for more knowledge about the experiences of children bereaved by domestic homicide and how society responds to their needs. This scoping review explores what is currently known about these children’s experiences and examines the broader social and professional responses that influence their recovery, including societal attitudes, professional interventions, and decision-making processes that shape their everyday lives. We identified 40 relevant publications via a systematic search of 4 databases and additional methods. We searched for all articles that tackled the consequences of intimate partner homicide for children, including societal responses, professional interventions, and decision-making processes. The scoping review revealed several areas that have been the focus of children bereaved by domestic violence: intrapersonal themes such as behavioral and mental health consequences; complex feelings of identity, and a series of societal responses and challenges were also discussed; challenges in placement and care; stigma and social reactions; and support and institutional barriers. This review underscores the complex interplay between children’s exposure to parental intimate partner homicide, the caregiving relationships that follow, societal attitudes, and the role of professional systems. Despite important advances, substantial gaps remain in full understanding how these factors interact to shape bereaved children’s coping and long-term outcomes. Addressing these gaps is crucial for developing evidence-based policies and interventions that better support children through their grief and beyond.

This systematic review explores how trauma is conceptualized and measured in the context of community violence, with an emphasis on the limitations of dominant frameworks and the need for more critical, structural approaches. These approaches situate trauma within conditions of structural violence that shape chronic community violence and uniquely impact the lives of community members. While traditional trauma frameworks often focus on individual pathology, this review examined prevailing trauma models, specifically those centered around post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and highlighted the need for alternative PTSD and community violence measures that better capture chronic and systematic harm. A systematic search across multiple databases synthesized findings from peer-reviewed studies, resulting in 47 studies meeting criteria for review. Through analytic synthesis, studies were categorized into three groups: 1) Unique structural studies, which integrated both structural violence and structural trauma; 2) Semi-unique structural studies, which incorporated either structural violence or structural trauma, but not both; and 3) Classic PTSD framework studies, which conceptualize trauma as a reaction to discrete events without engaging structural explanations. Results indicated a reliance on individualized PTSD frameworks, often neglecting the broader sociopolitical and historical contexts in which trauma occurs. This review critically assesses this imbalance and highlights the value of structural analyses that account for disinvestment, poverty, and structural violence. The findings suggest that future research should begin utilizing structural analyses to more accurately capture the lived realities of trauma. Such approaches are essential for developing more responsive, equitable interventions and inform policy that addresses the root causes of community violence.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a significant public and mental health concern, yet much of its research and measurement have been developed through a cisgender, heterosexual lens. Sexual and gender minority (SGM) populations experience IPV at rates equal to or higher than their cisgender, heterosexual counterparts and experience unique forms of abuse, including identity-based and transphobia-driven violence. However, the lack of IPV measures validated for SGM populations raises concerns about the accuracy and inclusivity of existing tools, contributing to inconsistent prevalence estimates. This study presents a two-tiered review of self-report IPV measures for SGM populations. Tier 1 evaluated psychometric properties of scales using COnsensus-based Standards for selecting health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN), while Tier 2 examined the broader application of IPV measures in empirical research. Eligible studies were original, English-language research measuring IPV in SGM populations, scale development or validation (Tier 1) or reported a reliability statistic (Tier 2). A systematic search identified 9 scale development/validation studies and 72 studies using IPV scales. Notably, SGM-specific measures remain underutilized, with most studies continuing to rely on heterocentric measures. Structural validity and internal consistency were adequate across scales, but evidence for content validity, cross-cultural validity, reliability, and hypothesis-testing was often limited or indeterminate, with no measure achieving full COSMIN recommendations. While several promising SGM-specific IPV tools exist, further refinement, validation, and development of a set of consensus-driven gold standard measures are needed to support accurate assessment, prevalence estimates, and effective interventions for IPV in SGM populations.

In exploring survivors’ experiences of the wide range of services across settings that they sought for mental health support, this review synthesises experiences, facilitators and barriers encountered to help-seeking in adult survivors of complex trauma. We searched multiple databases including Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), MEDLINE, PsycINFO, EMBASE, Applied Social Sciences Index, Web of Science, and PROQUEST. In total, 23,129 records were retrieved and screened, out of which 108 records were eligible for inclusion. Following a narrative synthesis, seven themes representing facilitators and barriers to seeking help were identified at individual, organisational and societal levels: internal and external stigma, peer support, staff attitude, service flexibility, therapeutic relationship, skills and training. Our synthesis resulted in a conceptual model with three interconnected overarching themes: feeling safe, embarking on a journey, and achieving connectedness, all of which contribute to the development of post-traumatic self. Offering a comprehensive understanding of the obstacles involved in seeking support for complex trauma is essential. A large number of studies highlighted a need for greater public awareness to reduce stigma, trauma-informed training for staff in statutory and non-statutory settings, peer support, funding and better links between services to offer a more holistic approach. Political and practical interventions could help improve accessing support, hence further research to redress this balance is therefore warranted.

Several studies suggest that the quality of the therapeutic relationship (TR) between the patient and their therapist plays a significant role in predicting the outcomes of various forms of psychotherapy. However, it remains unclear whether the TR also influences the outcomes of treatment programs for justice-involved populations. Therefore, this systematic review aims to identify the impact of the TR on treatment outcomes with justice-involved individuals. A comprehensive search was conducted in B-on, Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, PsycInfo, and Scielo for peer-reviewed quantitative studies providing data on individuals who committed crimes, available in English, Portuguese, or Spanish. A total of 18 studies that met the inclusion criteria were included in the final synthesis. Most of the included studies comprised predominantly male samples convicted of sexual offenses or intimate partner violence–related crimes. Regarding therapists, both genders were represented, along with a diversity of academic backgrounds. In terms of effectiveness, the findings suggest that the TR may exert a stronger influence on proximal, intrapersonal outcomes—such as motivation to change and well-being—than on more distal, behavioral outcomes, including aggression or recidivism. However, the existing studies are scarce and present several methodological limitations. Although the findings suggest the relevance of considering therapists and their training as potential responsivity factors in treatment, further research is needed to draw firm conclusions.

Identity abuse (IA) is a form of domestic abuse (DA) seen in LGBTQ+ romantic relationships, which weaponizes a partner’s gender or sexual identity against them. This scoping review had the primary aim of identifying risk and protective factors of LGBTQ+ IA in romantic relationships. The secondary aim was to determine the prevalence of specific IA tactics (Outing, Isolation from LGBTQ+ Community, Derogatory Language, Belittling Identity). The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis guidelines were followed. Search terms focused on LGBTQ+ identities and DA. A total of 8,918 papers were retrieved across three databases (PubMed, Web of Science, and PsycInfo), with 41 papers meeting the inclusion criteria. Both qualitative and quantitative papers were included in this review. The review identified multiple risk factors for IA perpetration and victimization, such as LGBTQ+ enacted stigma, specific gender expressions, and mental illness. Identifying the prevalence of IA tactics specifically was difficult to determine due to measurement differences. Across 21 quantitative papers, outing was the most reported tactic, being reported in 73.91% of the papers. Overall, the review highlights the field of IA as being under-researched. The synthesis of literature that the review provides is a crucial step to understand and develop IA as a theoretical concept and provides direct recommendations for future research.

Global conflicts and wars can have catastrophic impacts on children’s social-emotional and learning outcomes, which require evidence-based interventions to help mitigate these traumatic and educational effects. This scoping review aimed to identify approaches designed to support students and/or teachers and parents/caregivers in educational contexts when students have been exposed to war or global conflict. Following the PRISMA approach for conducting systematic reviews and using keywords under categories of “Trauma,” “War,” and “School,” a total of 41 articles were identified. Results revealed that the most common types of interventions provided to students included manualised psychological programmes (n = 19) and arts-based interventions (n = 19), followed by storying (n = 14) and providing students with psychosocial support (n = 14). Other programme types included culturally-informed programmes (n = 8) and sport and movement-based approaches (n = 7). Most interventions focused on supporting the psychosocial well-being of students (n = 27), with fewer programmes focused on supporting teachers (n = 14) and parents/caregivers (n = 4). However, support provided to teachers and parents/caregivers was typically aimed at improving student well-being, rather than directly addressing the well-being needs of the adults themselves. The challenges and limitations of these approaches were identified, and implications have been suggested for practice, policy, and research. Greater awareness and application of multi-tiered trauma-informed approaches to support students exposed to war and conflict, and their teachers and parents/caregivers are required.

This systematic review offers the first comprehensive synthesis of factors associated with intimate partner violence (IPV) among sexual minority women (SMW), encompassing victimization, perpetration, and bidirectional violence. Following PRISMA guidelines, five databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, EMBASE, and PsycNet) were systematically searched for studies published between 2010 and 2025. Of 3,993 records identified, 20 studies involving 8,483 SMW met the inclusion criteria, all demonstrating acceptable methodological quality. A multi-level framework guided the analysis, identifying individual (sociodemographic, psychological, behavioral, and trauma-related), minority stress (internalized homophobia, discrimination, identity management), relationship (relationship dynamics, partner characteristics), and sociocultural (cultural and normative) factors. Minority stress emerged as the central risk domain influencing all IPV directions, linking both internalized and external stigma to heightened vulnerability. Bisexual women consistently reported higher IPV rates than lesbian women, and bidirectional violence was frequent, challenging traditional victim–perpetrator paradigms. Protective factors were markedly limited, with only socioeconomic status, education, and relationship satisfaction showing consistent effects. These findings underscore that IPV among SMW operates through unique identity-based and contextual mechanisms inadequately captured by existing heterosexual models. Future research should adopt intersectional, resilience-oriented, and culturally responsive frameworks to inform tailored prevention and intervention strategies. The study protocol was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42024628444).

This study synthesises the prevalence of self-reported child sexual exploitation and abuse (CSEA) perpetration by adults from the general population. We conducted a systematic review and proportional meta-analysis, searching eight electronic databases and grey literature sources up to August 1, 2025, supplemented by citation tracking. Inclusion criteria specified quantitative observational studies in English that sampled community-based adults (aged 18 and older) and reported primary, self-report data (numerator and denominator) on CSEA perpetration (contact or noncontact) against children (under 18). Studies using clinical, forensic, or specialised samples were excluded. Thirty-eight studies met the inclusion criteria. Proportional meta-analysis using random-effects models (with Hartung–Knapp adjustment to account for sparse data) yielded a sex-standardised prevalence for contact offending of 4.5% (any child age), 2.0% (pubescent), and 1.5% (prepubescent). Noncontact offending prevalence was 6.5% (any age), 6.2% (pubescent), and 1.7% (prepubescent). Subsequent analysis of sex-separated estimates, excluding influential outliers, found the prevalence of contact and noncontact offending against prepubescent children to be 1.6% and 2.5% for men and 1.0% and 0.5% for women, respectively. Among men, noncontact offending was approximately twice as prevalent as contact offending, whereas for women, contact and noncontact prevalences were similar. These findings are the first attempt to provide population-level benchmarks for self-reported CSEA perpetration, though results should be interpreted cautiously due to high heterogeneity and reliance on non-representative samples.

This systematic review sought to synthesize stakeholder perspectives relating to benefits, risks, and recommendations for using restorative justice (RJ) practices in cases of intimate partner violence (IPV). The review identified 16 articles containing the perspectives of IPV victims and relevant stakeholders, including RJ facilitators, judges, victim advocates, and IPV experts on the perceived benefits, risks, and recommendations for use of RJ practices for IPV. The results highlight a range of potential benefits afforded to IPV victims through their participation in RJ processes; however, inherent risks are identified, which may limit the utility of RJ in IPV cases and undermine potential benefits. Benefits included increasing victim voice and empowerment, addressing needs and providing greater support for victims, and supporting relationships between victims and perpetrators. Risks included the risk of power imbalances between victims and perpetrators, retraumatization of victims, and RJ delivered by unskilled facilitators who fail to provide adequate care and information to victims. Recommendations captured in the review may help mitigate risks and increase positive outcomes for victims.

Understanding the population distribution and dynamics of intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration is necessary for designing effective prevention strategies and informing public health responses. While general population health surveys are widely used to estimate the prevalence and burden of IPV victimisation, the extent to which they capture IPV perpetration is under-explored. This review systematically identified and assessed general population health surveys measuring IPV perpetration, focusing on their methodological and measurement approaches. Searches of four electronic databases identified 39 papers reporting on 27 survey data sources. Five broad categories of measurement tools are described: survey data sources using or adapting the UN Multi-Country Study; the 2005 WHO research tool for violence against women and girls; the Conflicts Tactics Scale (CTS) and its subsequent versions, and two categories of ad hoc measures (with either more than two items, or one or two items). Substantial variation was found in the measurement of forms of IPV perpetration measured, particularly in the inclusion of non-physical forms, the use of frequency and reference periods, and the assessment of harm. Most surveys did not collect information on the sex or number of victims, escalation, or repeat perpetration, and few described item development or validation. Improved and standardised measurement of IPV perpetration in general population health surveys is essential to strengthen the evidence base and inform effective prevention strategies, service responses, and public policy.

Allegations of child sexual abuse (CSA) in family law cases, such as child custody, child visitation, and child protection proceedings, present complex and sensitive challenges for legal and psychological decision-making. This scoping review synthesizes key findings from 47 empirical studies examining the prevalence, substantiation, and legal consequences of CSA allegations as well as typical case characteristics in this context. The empirical literature falls into three main clusters: Canadian studies using large national datasets from the late 1990s and 2000s; Australian court-based studies primarily from the 2010s; and U.S. research spanning several decades with diverse methodologies. Overall, we found a mean CSA allegation prevalence of 8.9%, and indications that CSA allegations occur less frequently than allegations of other maltreatment types. Substantiation rates vary across studies but average around 43%, with only marginal evidence suggesting slightly lower substantiation when only custody and visitation disputes were analyzed. Deliberate false allegations are seemingly rare; most unsubstantiated claims appear to arise from genuine but mistaken concerns. Limited findings on legal consequences indicate that substantiated allegations usually lead to suspended contact between the accused parent and child. When allegations lack sufficient clarity, courts respond more variably, sometimes restricting contact despite non-substantiation. Significant research gaps remain, particularly regarding the timing and context of allegations, the association of substantiation with legal outcomes, and specific allegation constellations within families. Further empirical research, especially from European and non-Western jurisdictions, is essential to informing evidence-based, child-centered practice.

Maltreated children are at risk of exhibiting attachment disorders: The reactive attachment disorder (RAD) and the disinhibited social engagement disorder (DSED). Determining overall proportions for these disorders, however, is difficult. Assessment methods have varied across studies and over time due to a shift in diagnostic criteria from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of mental disorders - 4th Edition (DSM-IV) to the DSM-5. This study examines the overall proportion of RAD-DSED combined (34 studies with 47 independent samples, 8994 participants), RAD (16 studies with 19 independent samples, 1,924 participants), and DSED (16 studies with 21 independent samples, 2,018 participants). Inclusion criteria were all empirical English studies reporting on at least one RAD or DSED classification/diagnosis in children 9 months to 18 years old. Moderators included child age and sex, sample type, measure type, nosological system type, year of publication, study geographical region, and study quality. Random-effects meta-analyses with logit transformation of event proportions were conducted. Publication bias was not tested, given that symmetry assumptions do not apply to proportion data. Results set the overall proportions of attachment disorders in at-risk samples (RAD-DSED combined) at 18.4% [13.4%, 24.9%], 9.6% for RAD [6.6%, 13.7%], and 20.1% for DSED [12.2%, 24.7%]. Some RAD-DSED combined, RAD, and DSED proportions varied according to types of measures, nosological systems, and geographical region of study. Results indicate a decline in RAD proportions since the advent of the DSM-5 in 2013 (from 8.4% [6.5%, 10.9%] to 4.6% [1.4%, 5.6%]), and the DSM-5 algorithm for RAD is markedly more restrictive than that of the Research Diagnosis Criteria (RDC).

While a small body of work focuses directly on young people’s experiences of psychotherapy following sexual abuse, to our knowledge, there are no existing reviews of this literature. This systematic review was conducted using Siddaway et al.’s guidelines. Inclusion criteria were: published between 2000 and 2022; used qualitative methodologies; and captured adolescents’ perspectives. Eleven studies were identified, representing an aggregated sample size of 72 young people aged 12 to 18. Methodologies used included thematic analysis, content analysis, conversation analysis, and narrative analysis. A total of 9 of the 11 studies addressed experiences of individual therapy using semi-structured interviews; 2 studies explored experiences of group therapy through focus groups. The review identified three key processes that reflect adolescents’ experiences: engagement, ambivalence to trust; painful processing: exercising agency; and integrating: taking responsibility. Young people struggled to engage in therapy, and it took time to build trust; they experienced improvements in mood and general well-being, facilitated by psychoeducation, talking about the abuse, experiencing difficult emotions, and learning coping skills. They described integrating their abuse experience into their life story, discovering their inner strength and resilience. The therapeutic experience was underpinned by two key support processes: the therapeutic relationship and a supportive environment outside of therapy. This review supports the components of trauma-focused therapy alongside personalizing psychotherapy to the needs of adolescents for agency and autonomy.

Social impairments are commonly reported by individuals with a history of child maltreatment (CM). However, a systematic review on the relationship between different types of CM and impairments across various domains of social functioning in adults with and without mental disorders that also addresses mediating and moderating factors is still missing. Therefore, we systematically searched the PsycINFO and Web of Science databases for peer-reviewed studies published from 2003 to February 2025 that examined the association between CM before the age of 18 and various clinically relevant impairments in social functioning in adulthood (≥18 years). A total of 281 articles were included and clustered in seven domains of social functioning. Most studies revealed negative associations between CM and social functioning, with small to moderate effect sizes. The strongest evidence was found for intimate partner violence, aggression, social connectedness, attachment, and early maladaptive schemas, while findings for other domains–such as sexuality, intimate partner relationships, and social-cognitive processes—were less consistent. Psychopathology, insecure attachment, and emotion regulation were the most frequently identified mediating or moderating factors. Taken together, CM and social dysfunctions need to be assessed and considered more systematically in psychotherapeutic treatment across disorders. Furthermore, longitudinal studies with standardized measures of social functioning are needed to identify transdiagnostic as well as disorder-specific targets for mechanism-based prevention and interventions for individuals with CM experiences.

The timeless human need to bear witness to trauma confronts a modern “crisis of listening”: a societal scarcity of capable listeners, caused by the emotional demands of the witnessing role, structural barriers, and the cultural silencing of certain narratives. This listening gap propels many individuals toward conversational AI, creating a need for a framework to analyze the new form of algorithmic listening to trauma. The present critical narrative review of the relevant clinical and technical literature develops a conceptual framework for the nascent field. In a two-stage process, we first synthesized seminal trauma theories to distill the core functions of witnessing, then conducted a targeted scoping of recent literature (PsycINFO, PubMed, Google Scholar), prioritizing peer-reviewed studies (2023–present) on trauma populations, to evaluate the capabilities and limitations of AI. The resulting AI CARE model delineates four key witnessing functions: capturing narratives, arranging patterns, resonating emotions, and embodied attunement. The review reveals a spectrum of capability: robust AI proficiency in the technical functions (capturing, arranging) contrasted with inherent constraints in the relational functions (resonating, embodying), raising critical questions regarding therapeutic depth. This lopsided proficiency gives rise to a complex landscape of utility and risk, necessitating urgent empirical scrutiny regarding the potential erosion of relational expectations, the creation of a two-tier system of care, and the redefinition of witnessing. The AI CARE model provides a language for researchers, clinicians, and developers to address the ethical challenges of algorithmic listening and guide its responsible development.

Research on polyvictimization (PV) generally builds on a cumulative risk model to explain posttrauma functioning. However, evidence becomes unclear when child sexual abuse (CSA) in particular is assessed alongside other types of victimization, necessitating a closer examination of how CSA fits within the PV framework. This scoping review aimed to (a) identify conceptual and operational definitions of PV in CSA research, (b) map evidence on organizing CSA into the PV framework, and (c) highlight research trends and gaps. A systematic search was conducted across six databases for primary studies focusing on CSA in victim/survivor samples or as a central topic, with explicit application of the “polyvictimization” construct. From 1064 references initially retrieved, 62 met eligibility criteria. Four approaches to situating CSA within the PV framework were identified: (a) interconnection (CSA’s link to other abuse), (b) cumulative risk (additive effects), (c) comparative (CSA vs. other abuse/PV), and (d) configural (co-occurring patterns). Results highlighted substantial inconsistencies in how CSA characteristics and PV were measured and analyzed, precluding definitive conclusions regarding the distinct contribution of CSA versus collective impact of PV. The review concludes that a comprehensive PV framework for driving CSA studies should move beyond the simplistic “more is worse” posit to explore how different types of victimization interconnect, interact, accumulate, and aggregate to differentially impact psycho-behavioral development.

In the last 20 years, researchers have begun building a public health criminology aimed at understanding the far-reaching consequences of having the largest incarcerated population in the world. Of particular concern are the medical and mental health outcomes associated with the elevated levels of trauma exposure experienced by those who spend time in U.S. jails and prisons. A public health approach to both understanding and addressing the complex needs of this population requires, first, defining and measuring these needs. Because mass incarceration is a relatively new phenomenon, there has yet to be consistent agreement on how to define and measure trauma exposure in this context, especially for men. The current scoping review sought to identify all research studies on incarcerated populations in the United States that included a measure of trauma exposures before, during, and after incarceration. We identified 107 studies published since 2000. Fifty-four percent of the studies had samples with only women despite the incarcerated population being 90% male. A total of 51 trauma exposure measurement instruments were used with the majority (63%) used in only one study. Only 10 of the studies measured trauma exposures relative to time incarcerated. Given the far-reaching consequences of both mass incarceration and trauma exposure for public health, the need for quality measurement in research and practice is a pressing public health concern.

There has been significant progress in studying gender-based violence (GBV) and precarious employment independently, yet there is a paucity of research on their intersection and the health impacts. The objective of this secondary analysis of a scoping review is to synthesize existing literature on this intersection and the associated health impacts among migrant women. Seven databases were searched for peer-reviewed articles in May 2024, with an updated search in May 2025. This secondary analysis was built on all the inclusion and exclusion criteria in the original scoping review, which focused on empirical studies including migrant women, aged 15 years and older, who self-report experiences of GBV and engagement in precarious employment. A total of 28 studies were included for analysis. Findings revealed the significant impact of the intersection of GBV and precarious employment on the health and well-being of migrant women. Unsafe working conditions and psychosocial stressors were found to be significantly associated with heightened risks of mental distress, physical injuries, musculoskeletal disorders, and barriers to accessing healthcare services. Community networks offered support but were often ineffective for women living with their employers. This review highlighted the urgent gaps in research, policy, and workplace protections that impact the health and well-being of migrant women. Addressing these issues to achieve health equity remains a priority.