Childhood Maltreatment: Impact on Substance Dependency and Aggressive Behavior

Abstract

Childhood maltreatment is a pervasive issue with profound implications for developmental outcomes, including increased vulnerability to substance dependency and aggressive behaviors in adulthood. This review synthesizes current literature of 2019 to 2024 located by searching databases like Science direct, PubMed, and Google Scholar to explore the impact of childhood maltreatment on substance dependency and aggressive behavior. Studies consistently demonstrate that individuals exposed to maltreatment during childhood are at heightened risk for developing substance use disorders, often using substances as a coping mechanism for trauma-related distress. Moreover, studies showed that childhood maltreatment significantly increases the likelihood of exhibiting aggressive tendencies, including violence, bullying, and intimate partner aggression. Studies also reveal that mechanisms such as hostile cognition, low self-control, and callous-unemotional traits mediate these variables.