ABSTRACT
Child maltreatment constitutes a major public health issue. It is defined as acts of commission or omission towards children that cause significant harm or the potential or threat of harm to children's development and health. The most widely acknowledged forms of child maltreatment include: physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional or psychological abuse, and neglect. An established link between child maltreatment and adult mental health problems has been documented in the literature. Study findings have indicated that child maltreatment is associated with adult occurrence of major depressive disorder (MDD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), substance use disorders, antisocial personality disorder, borderline personality disorder and suicide attempts. Evidence shows that maternal affective disorders in pregnancy are associated with offspring vulnerability to adverse childhood experiences. The prospective, longitudinal nature of the South London Child Development Study (SLCDS) has allowed us to examine the pathways from exposure to maternal depression in pregnancy to offspring depression in young adulthood.
