Table 2.

Summary of Critical Findings.

Critical Findings of the Review
Micro-individual-level risk factors	Mental health concerns were the most common risk factor with a significant association with child maltreatment. BPD and PTSD, particularly, were linked to child neglect while maternal depression was linked to child physical abuse Maternal history of childhood maltreatment was the second most common risk factor and recollection and memories of the maltreatment experienced was more significant than its actual occurrence when associated with child maltreatment 18 studies established a link between parental substance use and child maltreatment potential, with the majority of associations with child physical abuse
Micro-level family risk factors	IPV was found to be significantly associated in 12 studies and most linked to neglect and child physical abuse 21 studies measured single-parent family as a risk factor and 9 found a significant association. This co-occurred with multiple other risk factors such as low income and low social support Marital distress was significantly associated in five studies. This includes separation, divorce, and marital disagreement
Mezzo risk factors	Economic deprivation and welfare receipt were linked to physical abuse and neglect and co-occurred with more than 3 minor children at home, maternal smoking, low education, and high stress Social isolation was described differently by the studies with some describing it as lack of child rearing support or lack of peer support and others used maternal perceptions and satisfaction with perceived support
Macro risk factors	Only one study found a significant association between use of mental health services during pregnancy and its association with later child neglect among adolescent mothers who had been victims of IPV Physical abuse, neglect, and emotional abuse shared social support as a protective factor Paternal involvement with children daily was found as protective against neglect No protective factors were found (nor studied in the 68 included studies) specific to child sexual abuse
Protective factors	Fewer protective factors were found and 18 out of 68 studies reported a total of 11 protective factors Social support was the most common and reported in 10 studies. Studies looked at different aspects of social support including availability of support, counseling, emotional support, practical support, and companionship. This was linked with buffering physical child abuse and neglect
Risk factors by maltreatment type—32 out of 68 studies provided a particular type or types of maltreatment and association with child maltreatment	Parenting style and attitudes, IPV, and maternal negative emotional state were common risk factors for all 4 types of maltreatment Physical abuse had the highest number of risk factors and most of these were shared with neglect and emotional abuse including low education, low income, high stress, and maternal childhood history of maltreatment. Other risk factors included mental health concerns, substance use, and more than three minor children One specific risk factor was found for paternal sexual abuse—lack of mother–child closeness
Protective factors by maltreatment type	12 studies specified type of maltreatment and association with protective factors. Social support was a common protective factor for physical abuse, emotional abuse, and neglect. Specific types of social support such as maternal emotional support and friendship support were protective for child physical abuse. Maternal perception of high social support was also found to be protective against child physical abuse. No protective factor for child sexual abuse was found in the included studies

BPD = borderline personality disorder; IPV = intimate partner violence; PTSD = post-traumatic stress disorder.