Long-Term Consequences of Child Abuse and Neglect on Adult Economic Well-Being

Child abuse and neglect represent major threats to child health and well-being; however, little is known about consequences for adult economic outcomes. Using a prospective cohort design, court substantiated cases of childhood physical and sexual abuse and neglect during 1967—1971 were matched with...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Child maltreatment 2010-05, Vol.15 (2), p.111-120
Main Authors: Currie, Janet, Spatz Widom, Cathy
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Abused children
Adolescent
Adult
Adults
Biological and medical sciences
Child
Child abuse
Child abuse & neglect
Child Abuse - economics
Child Abuse - legislation & jurisprudence
Child Abuse, Sexual - economics
Child Abuse, Sexual - legislation & jurisprudence
Child Health
Child Neglect
Child sexual abuse
Child, Preschool
Childhood
Childhood sexual abuse
Children
Children & youth
Cohort Studies
Courts
Earnings
Economic status
Economic well being
Economic wellbeing
Educational Status
Employment
Employment - economics
Female
Follow-Up Studies
Health problems
Humans
Income - statistics & numerical data
Intelligence
Male
Medical sciences
Middle age
Midwestern United States
Probability
Productivity
Prospective Studies
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychopathology. Psychiatry
Psychosocial Deprivation
Risk Factors
Sex Factors
Social Class
Socioeconomic Factors
Victimology
Well being
Young Adult
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Summary:Child abuse and neglect represent major threats to child health and well-being; however, little is known about consequences for adult economic outcomes. Using a prospective cohort design, court substantiated cases of childhood physical and sexual abuse and neglect during 1967—1971 were matched with nonabused and nonneglected children and followed into adulthood (mean age 41). Outcome measures of economic status and productivity were assessed in 2003—2004 (N = 807). Results indicate that adults with documented histories of childhood abuse and/or neglect have lower levels of education, employment, earnings, and fewer assets as adults, compared to matched control children. There is a 14% gap between individuals with histories of abuse/neglect and controls in the probability of employment in middle age, controlling for background characteristics. Maltreatment appears to affect men and women differently, with larger effects for women than men. These new findings demonstrate that abused and neglected children experience large and enduring economic consequences.
ISSN:1077-5595
1552-6119
DOI:10.1177/1077559509355316