Mapping Two Decades of Childhood Emotional Abuse Research: A Global Bibliometric Analysis (2005–2024)
,
Abstract
Objective: Child emotional abuse (CEA) is associated with a wide range of detrimental consequences, both in childhood and adulthood. Despite its widespread prevalence and long-term impact, it has historically received less scholarly attention compared to physical and sexual abuse. To address this gap, his study presents the first global bibliometric analysis of CEA research from 2005–2024, mapping its evolution, thematic trends, and geographical distribution.
Method: Using Scopus and PubMed, 1,040 articles and reviews in English were analyzed via the R-based Bibliometrix package. Descriptive, network, and thematic analyses identified publication patterns, collaboration networks, and conceptual trends.
Results: Publications on CEA have risen sharply since 2018, with psychology, medicine, and psychiatry dominating the field. The United States, China, and Canada are the most productive countries, while many Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) remain underrepresented (e.g., Iran 0.96%). Trend analyses reveal a thematic shift from immediate psychological distress toward developmental mechanisms, transdiagnostic constructs (e.g., early maladaptive schemas), and culturally contextual factors. Thematic mapping shows underdeveloped core areas (e.g., depression, child trauma), well-developed motor themes (e.g., early maladaptive schemas, meta-analysis), and niche/emerging topics (e.g., fMRI, gene–environment interaction).
Conclusion: CEA research is expanding toward integrative, culturally informed, and mechanism-focused frameworks, but definitional, methodological, and geographical gaps persist. Targeted investment in LMIC research, validated and culturally adapted tools, interdisciplinary collaboration, and prevention-oriented strategies are urgently needed.
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2. Gardner MJ, Thomas HJ, Erskine HE. The association between five forms of child maltreatment and depressive and anxiety disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Child Abuse Negl. 2019;96:104082.
3. Cicchetti D. Biological and behavioral effects of early adversity on multiple levels of development: Cambridge University Press; 2017.
4. Currie J, Widom CS. Long-term consequences of child abuse and neglect on adult economic well-being. Child Maltreat. 2010;15(2):111-20.
5. Felitti VJ, Anda RF, Nordenberg D, Williamson DF, Spitz AM, Edwards V, et al. Relationship of childhood abuse and household dysfunction to many of the leading causes of death in adults. The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study. Am J Prev Med. 1998;14(4):245-58.
6. Carr CP, Martins CM, Stingel AM, Lemgruber VB, Juruena MF. The role of early life stress in adult psychiatric disorders: a systematic review according to childhood trauma subtypes. J Nerv Ment Dis. 2013;201(12):1007-20.
7. Norman RE, Byambaa M, De R, Butchart A, Scott J, Vos T. The long-term health consequences of child physical abuse, emotional abuse, and neglect: a systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS Med. 2012;9(11):e1001349.
8. Yates TM. The developmental consequences of child emotional abuse: A neurodevelopmental perspective. Childhood Emotional Abuse: Routledge; 2014. p. 9-34.
9. Froz SA, Tiwari P. Psychological abuse: Impact on children. Indian Journal of Health and Wellbeing. 2015;6(5):526.
10. Garbarino J, Guttmann E, Seeley JW. The psychologically battered child: Jossey-Bass San Francisco; 1986.
11. Benzi IMA, Carone N, Parolin L, Martin-Gagnon G, Ensink K, Fontana A. Different epistemic stances for different traumatic experiences: implications for mentalization. Res Psychother. 2023;26(3):708.
12. Stoltenborgh M, Bakermans‐Kranenburg MJ, Alink LR, van IJzendoorn MH. The prevalence of child maltreatment across the globe: Review of a series of meta‐analyses. Child Abuse Review. 2015;24(1):37-50.
13. Kimber M, McTavish JR, Couturier J, Boven A, Gill S, Dimitropoulos G, et al. Consequences of child emotional abuse, emotional neglect and exposure to intimate partner violence for eating disorders: a systematic critical review. BMC Psychol. 2017;5(1):33.
14. Li ET, Luyten P, Midgley N. Psychological Mediators of the Association Between Childhood Emotional Abuse and Depression: A Systematic Review. Front Psychiatry. 2020;11:559213.
15. Afifi TO, Mather A, Boman J, Fleisher W, Enns MW, Macmillan H, et al. Childhood adversity and personality disorders: results from a nationally representative population-based study. J Psychiatr Res. 2011;45(6):814-22.
16. Kuo JR, Khoury JE, Metcalfe R, Fitzpatrick S, Goodwill A. An examination of the relationship between childhood emotional abuse and borderline personality disorder features: the role of difficulties with emotion regulation. Child Abuse Negl. 2015;39:147-55.
17. Maguire SA, Williams B, Naughton AM, Cowley LE, Tempest V, Mann MK, et al. A systematic review of the emotional, behavioural and cognitive features exhibited by school-aged children experiencing neglect or emotional abuse. Child Care Health Dev. 2015;41(5):641-53.
18. Walker HE, Wamser-Nanney R. Revictimization Risk Factors Following Childhood Maltreatment: A Literature Review. Trauma Violence Abuse. 2023;24(4):2319-32.
19. Lee MA. Emotional abuse in childhood and suicidality: The mediating roles of re-victimization and depressive symptoms in adulthood. Child Abuse Negl. 2015;44:130-9.
20. Berzenski SR. Distinct emotion regulation skills explain psychopathology and problems in social relationships following childhood emotional abuse and neglect. Dev Psychopathol. 2019;31(2):483-96.
21. Chen E, Turiano NA, Mroczek DK, Miller GE. Association of Reports of Childhood Abuse and All-Cause Mortality Rates in Women. JAMA Psychiatry. 2016;73(9):920-7.
22. Rueness J, Myhre Md MC, Strøm IF, Wentzel-Larsen T, Dyb G, Thoresen S. Child abuse and physical health: A population-based study on physical health complaints among adolescents and young adults. Scand J Public Health. 2020;48(5):511-8.
23. Rodriguez VJ, Are F, Madden A, Shaffer A, Suveg C. Intergenerational transmission of childhood maltreatment mediated by maternal emotion dysregulation. J Child Fam Stud. 2021;30(8):2068-75.
24. Strathearn L, Giannotti M, Mills R, Kisely S, Najman J, Abajobir A. Long-term Cognitive, Psychological, and Health Outcomes Associated With Child Abuse and Neglect. Pediatrics. 2020;146(4):e20200438.
25. Lazar N, Chithra K. Comprehensive bibliometric mapping of publication trends in the development of Building Sustainability Assessment Systems. Environ Dev Sustain. 2021;23(4):4899-923.
26. Basílio MP, Pereira V, Costa HG, Santos M, Ghosh A. A systematic review of the applications of multi-criteria decision aid methods (1977–2022). Electronics. 2022;11(11):1720.
27. Martín-Martín A, Thelwall M, Orduna-Malea E, Delgado López-Cózar E. Google Scholar, Microsoft Academic, Scopus, Dimensions, Web of Science, and OpenCitations' COCI: a multidisciplinary comparison of coverage via citations. Scientometrics. 2021;126(1):871-906.
28. Godin B. On the origins of bibliometrics. Scientometrics. 2006;68(1):109-33.
29. Janik A, Ryszko A, Szafraniec M. Scientific landscape of smart and sustainable cities literature: A bibliometric analysis. Sustainability. 2020;12(3):779.
30. Tran BX, Pham TV, Ha GH, Ngo AT, Nguyen LH, Vu TTM, et al. A Bibliometric Analysis of the Global Research Trend in Child Maltreatment. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2018;15(7):1456.
31. Vega-Arce M, Núñez-Ulloa G, Kanelos Torres F, Salas G, Barboza-Palomino M, López-López W, et al. 30 years of research on child abuse: A bibliometric analysis (1991-2020). Suma Psicológica. 2023;30(1):68-78.
32. Sindhura BKS, J GK. A bibliometric analysis of scientific literature on adverse childhood experiences (2004-2024). Glob Ment Health (Camb). 2025;12:e60.
33. Slep AM, Heyman RE, Snarr JD, Foster RE, Linkh DJ, Whitworth JD. Child emotional aggression and abuse: definitions and prevalence. Child Abuse Negl. 2011;35(10):783-96.
34. Hart SN, Brassard MR. A major threat to children's mental health. Psychological maltreatment. Am Psychol. 1987;42(2):160-5.
35. O'Hagan K. Emotional and psychological abuse of children. (No Title). 1993.
36. Glaser D. Emotional abuse and neglect (psychological maltreatment): a conceptual framework. Child Abuse Negl. 2002;26(6-7):697-714.
37. Ellegaard O, Wallin JA. The bibliometric analysis of scholarly production: How great is the impact? Scientometrics. 2015;105(3):1809-31.
38. Falagas ME, Pitsouni EI, Malietzis GA, Pappas G. Comparison of PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar: strengths and weaknesses. Faseb j. 2008;22(2):338-42.
39. Page MJ, McKenzie JE, Bossuyt PM, Boutron I, Hoffmann TC, Mulrow CD, et al. The PRISMA 2020 statement: an updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. Bmj. 2021;372:n71.
40. Witt A, Glaesmer H, Jud A, Plener PL, Brähler E, Brown RC, et al. Trends in child maltreatment in Germany: comparison of two representative population-based studies. Child Adolesc Psychiatry Ment Health. 2018;12:24.
41. Witt A, Glaesmer H, Jud A, Plener PL, Brähler E, Brown RC, et al. Trends in child maltreatment in Germany: comparison of two representative population-based studies. Child Adolesc Psychiatry Ment Health. 2018;12:24.
42. Iwaniec D. The emotionally abused and neglected child: Identification, assessment and intervention: A practice handbook: John Wiley & Sons; 2006.
43. Straus MA, Field CJ. Psychological aggression by American parents: National data on prevalence, chronicity, and severity. J Marriage Fam. 2003;65(4):795-808.
44. Beazley H, Bessell L, Ennew J, Waterson R. What children say: Results of comparative research on physical and emotional Punishment of children in Southeast Asia, East Asia and the Pacific. 2006.
45. Xu J. The Worship of Suffering in the Chinese Mind. Psychoanalytic Inquiry. 2024;44(5):446-54.
46. Bernstein DP, Stein JA, Newcomb MD, Walker E, Pogge D, Ahluvalia T, et al. Development and validation of a brief screening version of the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire. Child Abuse Negl. 2003;27(2):169-90.
47. Humphreys KL, LeMoult J, Wear JG, Piersiak HA, Lee A, Gotlib IH. Child maltreatment and depression: A meta-analysis of studies using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire. Child Abuse Negl. 2020;102:104361.
48. Tonmyr L, Draca J, Crain J, Macmillan HL. Measurement of emotional/psychological child maltreatment: a review. Child Abuse Negl. 2011;35(10):767-82.
49. Straus MA, Hamby SL, Finkelhor D, Moore DW, Runyan D. Identification of child maltreatment with the Parent-Child Conflict Tactics Scales: development and psychometric data for a national sample of American parents. Child Abuse Negl. 1998;22(4):249-70.
50. Ezpeleta L, Pérez-Robles R, Fanti KA, Karveli V, Katsimicha E, Nikolaidis G, et al. Development of a screening tool enabling identification of infants and toddlers at risk of family abuse and neglect: a feasibility study from three South European countries. Child Care Health Dev. 2017;43(1):75-80.
51. Yates TM, Wekerle C. The long-term consequences of childhood emotional maltreatment on development: (mal)adaptation in adolescence and young adulthood. Child Abuse Negl. 2009;33(1):19-21.
52. Thompson AE, Kaplan CA. Childhood emotional abuse. Br J Psychiatry. 1996;168(2):143-8.
53. 53Rajan TM. Operational Definitions and Structured Instruments for Childhood Emotional Abuse in Clinical Research: A Narrative Review. Journal of Indian Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health. 2023;19(3):229-38.
54. Brassard MR, Donovan KL. Defining psychological maltreatment. 2006.
55. Hart SN, Brassard MR. Psychological maltreatment: Progress achieved. Dev Psychopathol. 1991;3(1):61-70.
56. Laajasalo T, Cowley LE, Otterman G, Lamela D, Rodrigues LB, Jud A, et al. Current issues and challenges in the definition and operationalization of child maltreatment: A scoping review. Child Abuse Negl. 2023;140:106187.
2. Gardner MJ, Thomas HJ, Erskine HE. The association between five forms of child maltreatment and depressive and anxiety disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Child Abuse Negl. 2019;96:104082.
3. Cicchetti D. Biological and behavioral effects of early adversity on multiple levels of development: Cambridge University Press; 2017.
4. Currie J, Widom CS. Long-term consequences of child abuse and neglect on adult economic well-being. Child Maltreat. 2010;15(2):111-20.
5. Felitti VJ, Anda RF, Nordenberg D, Williamson DF, Spitz AM, Edwards V, et al. Relationship of childhood abuse and household dysfunction to many of the leading causes of death in adults. The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study. Am J Prev Med. 1998;14(4):245-58.
6. Carr CP, Martins CM, Stingel AM, Lemgruber VB, Juruena MF. The role of early life stress in adult psychiatric disorders: a systematic review according to childhood trauma subtypes. J Nerv Ment Dis. 2013;201(12):1007-20.
7. Norman RE, Byambaa M, De R, Butchart A, Scott J, Vos T. The long-term health consequences of child physical abuse, emotional abuse, and neglect: a systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS Med. 2012;9(11):e1001349.
8. Yates TM. The developmental consequences of child emotional abuse: A neurodevelopmental perspective. Childhood Emotional Abuse: Routledge; 2014. p. 9-34.
9. Froz SA, Tiwari P. Psychological abuse: Impact on children. Indian Journal of Health and Wellbeing. 2015;6(5):526.
10. Garbarino J, Guttmann E, Seeley JW. The psychologically battered child: Jossey-Bass San Francisco; 1986.
11. Benzi IMA, Carone N, Parolin L, Martin-Gagnon G, Ensink K, Fontana A. Different epistemic stances for different traumatic experiences: implications for mentalization. Res Psychother. 2023;26(3):708.
12. Stoltenborgh M, Bakermans‐Kranenburg MJ, Alink LR, van IJzendoorn MH. The prevalence of child maltreatment across the globe: Review of a series of meta‐analyses. Child Abuse Review. 2015;24(1):37-50.
13. Kimber M, McTavish JR, Couturier J, Boven A, Gill S, Dimitropoulos G, et al. Consequences of child emotional abuse, emotional neglect and exposure to intimate partner violence for eating disorders: a systematic critical review. BMC Psychol. 2017;5(1):33.
14. Li ET, Luyten P, Midgley N. Psychological Mediators of the Association Between Childhood Emotional Abuse and Depression: A Systematic Review. Front Psychiatry. 2020;11:559213.
15. Afifi TO, Mather A, Boman J, Fleisher W, Enns MW, Macmillan H, et al. Childhood adversity and personality disorders: results from a nationally representative population-based study. J Psychiatr Res. 2011;45(6):814-22.
16. Kuo JR, Khoury JE, Metcalfe R, Fitzpatrick S, Goodwill A. An examination of the relationship between childhood emotional abuse and borderline personality disorder features: the role of difficulties with emotion regulation. Child Abuse Negl. 2015;39:147-55.
17. Maguire SA, Williams B, Naughton AM, Cowley LE, Tempest V, Mann MK, et al. A systematic review of the emotional, behavioural and cognitive features exhibited by school-aged children experiencing neglect or emotional abuse. Child Care Health Dev. 2015;41(5):641-53.
18. Walker HE, Wamser-Nanney R. Revictimization Risk Factors Following Childhood Maltreatment: A Literature Review. Trauma Violence Abuse. 2023;24(4):2319-32.
19. Lee MA. Emotional abuse in childhood and suicidality: The mediating roles of re-victimization and depressive symptoms in adulthood. Child Abuse Negl. 2015;44:130-9.
20. Berzenski SR. Distinct emotion regulation skills explain psychopathology and problems in social relationships following childhood emotional abuse and neglect. Dev Psychopathol. 2019;31(2):483-96.
21. Chen E, Turiano NA, Mroczek DK, Miller GE. Association of Reports of Childhood Abuse and All-Cause Mortality Rates in Women. JAMA Psychiatry. 2016;73(9):920-7.
22. Rueness J, Myhre Md MC, Strøm IF, Wentzel-Larsen T, Dyb G, Thoresen S. Child abuse and physical health: A population-based study on physical health complaints among adolescents and young adults. Scand J Public Health. 2020;48(5):511-8.
23. Rodriguez VJ, Are F, Madden A, Shaffer A, Suveg C. Intergenerational transmission of childhood maltreatment mediated by maternal emotion dysregulation. J Child Fam Stud. 2021;30(8):2068-75.
24. Strathearn L, Giannotti M, Mills R, Kisely S, Najman J, Abajobir A. Long-term Cognitive, Psychological, and Health Outcomes Associated With Child Abuse and Neglect. Pediatrics. 2020;146(4):e20200438.
25. Lazar N, Chithra K. Comprehensive bibliometric mapping of publication trends in the development of Building Sustainability Assessment Systems. Environ Dev Sustain. 2021;23(4):4899-923.
26. Basílio MP, Pereira V, Costa HG, Santos M, Ghosh A. A systematic review of the applications of multi-criteria decision aid methods (1977–2022). Electronics. 2022;11(11):1720.
27. Martín-Martín A, Thelwall M, Orduna-Malea E, Delgado López-Cózar E. Google Scholar, Microsoft Academic, Scopus, Dimensions, Web of Science, and OpenCitations' COCI: a multidisciplinary comparison of coverage via citations. Scientometrics. 2021;126(1):871-906.
28. Godin B. On the origins of bibliometrics. Scientometrics. 2006;68(1):109-33.
29. Janik A, Ryszko A, Szafraniec M. Scientific landscape of smart and sustainable cities literature: A bibliometric analysis. Sustainability. 2020;12(3):779.
30. Tran BX, Pham TV, Ha GH, Ngo AT, Nguyen LH, Vu TTM, et al. A Bibliometric Analysis of the Global Research Trend in Child Maltreatment. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2018;15(7):1456.
31. Vega-Arce M, Núñez-Ulloa G, Kanelos Torres F, Salas G, Barboza-Palomino M, López-López W, et al. 30 years of research on child abuse: A bibliometric analysis (1991-2020). Suma Psicológica. 2023;30(1):68-78.
32. Sindhura BKS, J GK. A bibliometric analysis of scientific literature on adverse childhood experiences (2004-2024). Glob Ment Health (Camb). 2025;12:e60.
33. Slep AM, Heyman RE, Snarr JD, Foster RE, Linkh DJ, Whitworth JD. Child emotional aggression and abuse: definitions and prevalence. Child Abuse Negl. 2011;35(10):783-96.
34. Hart SN, Brassard MR. A major threat to children's mental health. Psychological maltreatment. Am Psychol. 1987;42(2):160-5.
35. O'Hagan K. Emotional and psychological abuse of children. (No Title). 1993.
36. Glaser D. Emotional abuse and neglect (psychological maltreatment): a conceptual framework. Child Abuse Negl. 2002;26(6-7):697-714.
37. Ellegaard O, Wallin JA. The bibliometric analysis of scholarly production: How great is the impact? Scientometrics. 2015;105(3):1809-31.
38. Falagas ME, Pitsouni EI, Malietzis GA, Pappas G. Comparison of PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar: strengths and weaknesses. Faseb j. 2008;22(2):338-42.
39. Page MJ, McKenzie JE, Bossuyt PM, Boutron I, Hoffmann TC, Mulrow CD, et al. The PRISMA 2020 statement: an updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. Bmj. 2021;372:n71.
40. Witt A, Glaesmer H, Jud A, Plener PL, Brähler E, Brown RC, et al. Trends in child maltreatment in Germany: comparison of two representative population-based studies. Child Adolesc Psychiatry Ment Health. 2018;12:24.
41. Witt A, Glaesmer H, Jud A, Plener PL, Brähler E, Brown RC, et al. Trends in child maltreatment in Germany: comparison of two representative population-based studies. Child Adolesc Psychiatry Ment Health. 2018;12:24.
42. Iwaniec D. The emotionally abused and neglected child: Identification, assessment and intervention: A practice handbook: John Wiley & Sons; 2006.
43. Straus MA, Field CJ. Psychological aggression by American parents: National data on prevalence, chronicity, and severity. J Marriage Fam. 2003;65(4):795-808.
44. Beazley H, Bessell L, Ennew J, Waterson R. What children say: Results of comparative research on physical and emotional Punishment of children in Southeast Asia, East Asia and the Pacific. 2006.
45. Xu J. The Worship of Suffering in the Chinese Mind. Psychoanalytic Inquiry. 2024;44(5):446-54.
46. Bernstein DP, Stein JA, Newcomb MD, Walker E, Pogge D, Ahluvalia T, et al. Development and validation of a brief screening version of the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire. Child Abuse Negl. 2003;27(2):169-90.
47. Humphreys KL, LeMoult J, Wear JG, Piersiak HA, Lee A, Gotlib IH. Child maltreatment and depression: A meta-analysis of studies using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire. Child Abuse Negl. 2020;102:104361.
48. Tonmyr L, Draca J, Crain J, Macmillan HL. Measurement of emotional/psychological child maltreatment: a review. Child Abuse Negl. 2011;35(10):767-82.
49. Straus MA, Hamby SL, Finkelhor D, Moore DW, Runyan D. Identification of child maltreatment with the Parent-Child Conflict Tactics Scales: development and psychometric data for a national sample of American parents. Child Abuse Negl. 1998;22(4):249-70.
50. Ezpeleta L, Pérez-Robles R, Fanti KA, Karveli V, Katsimicha E, Nikolaidis G, et al. Development of a screening tool enabling identification of infants and toddlers at risk of family abuse and neglect: a feasibility study from three South European countries. Child Care Health Dev. 2017;43(1):75-80.
51. Yates TM, Wekerle C. The long-term consequences of childhood emotional maltreatment on development: (mal)adaptation in adolescence and young adulthood. Child Abuse Negl. 2009;33(1):19-21.
52. Thompson AE, Kaplan CA. Childhood emotional abuse. Br J Psychiatry. 1996;168(2):143-8.
53. 53Rajan TM. Operational Definitions and Structured Instruments for Childhood Emotional Abuse in Clinical Research: A Narrative Review. Journal of Indian Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health. 2023;19(3):229-38.
54. Brassard MR, Donovan KL. Defining psychological maltreatment. 2006.
55. Hart SN, Brassard MR. Psychological maltreatment: Progress achieved. Dev Psychopathol. 1991;3(1):61-70.
56. Laajasalo T, Cowley LE, Otterman G, Lamela D, Rodrigues LB, Jud A, et al. Current issues and challenges in the definition and operationalization of child maltreatment: A scoping review. Child Abuse Negl. 2023;140:106187.
| Files | ||
| Issue | Vol 20 No 4 (2025) | |
| Section | Review Article(s) | |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.18502/ijps.v20i4.19690 | |
| Keywords | ||
| Adverse Childhood Experiences Bibliometrics Child Abuse Emotional Abuse Mental Health | ||
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How to Cite
1.
Alizadeh H, Mazaheri MA, Mousavi M. Mapping Two Decades of Childhood Emotional Abuse Research: A Global Bibliometric Analysis (2005–2024). Iran J Psychiatry. 2025;20(4):545-559.
