Peer-reviewed article
Quantifying the Relationship between Attention‐Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Experiences of Child Maltreatment: A Meta‐Analysis
Kylee Clayton, Janelle Boram Lee, Kristene Cheung, Jennifer Theule, Brenna Henrikson ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This meta-analysis examined the relationship between ADHD and child maltreatment by analyzing 18 studies. Children with ADHD were found to have significantly higher odds of experiencing maltreatment compared to children without ADHD. The study also found a moderate positive association between ADHD symptoms and maltreatment experiences. The authors conclude that clinicians should be aware of maltreatment risk when working with children who have ADHD, and vice versa.
Key points
- Children with ADHD had 2.39 times higher odds of having experienced maltreatment compared to children without ADHD
- Significant positive association found between ADHD symptom severity and maltreatment experiences (r = 0.28)
- Analysis included 18 studies meeting eligibility criteria
- Clinicians need to assess for maltreatment risk in ADHD populations and consider ADHD symptoms in maltreated children
Limitations
This meta-analysis synthesizes observational studies and cannot establish causality between ADHD and maltreatment. The analysis does not clarify the direction of the relationship or examine potential mediating mechanisms.
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine the association between attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and experiences of child maltreatment. This study employed several meta‐analyses. Studies included in the meta‐analysis contained a comparison of experiences of child maltreatment in individuals with and without ADHD or assessed the relationship between ADHD symptoms and experiences of child maltreatment. There were 18 studies that met the eligibility criteria. Individuals with ADHD had higher odds of having been maltreated in childhood compared to individuals without ADHD (odds ratio = 2.39, p < 0.001). There was a significant association between ADHD symptoms and experiences of child maltreatment ( r = 0.28, p < 0.001). Clinicians need to be cognisant of the risk of child maltreatment when working with individuals with ADHD, and vice versa. ‘Examine[s] the association between ADHD and experiences of child maltreatment’