Childhood Instability as a Central Risk Factor for Child Maltreatment: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Experiences of instability and unpredictability within the family context have been demonstrated to augment risk for child abuse and neglect. This scoping review aimed to synthesize and evaluate current evidence of the association between childhood instability and risk for maltreatment. Studies were identified using predetermined search terms and parameters across three electronic databases. Inclusion criteria for this review were peer-reviewed empirical articles, written in English, that conducted statistical analysis of the relationship between instability and child maltreatment. A total of 64 articles were included in the review, the majority of which focused on residential instability (n = 23), followed by economic instability (n = 11) and relational instability (n = 11), housing instability (n = 10), school instability (n = 6), and psychological instability (n = 4). Across over 4 decades of research, our review suggests that childhood instability is a multifaceted construct that is often associated with elevated exposure to abuse and neglect. In addition, the association between childhood instability and risk for maltreatment was pronounced among younger children. This review underscores the importance of examining childhood instability as a dynamic factor implicated in the etiology of child maltreatment. Integrating the multiple dimensions of childhood instability into a unified conceptual framework may facilitate the development of more precise maltreatment risk models that are both informed by and responsive to the complex and evolving needs of vulnerable families.