Abused Kids 3x More Prone to Substance Abuse Later

A recent study led by Dr. Claudia Bull from the University of Queensland has discovered that children who experience maltreatment are significantly more likely to struggle with alcohol and substance use disorders by the age of 40. The research involved analyzing data from over 6,000 individuals born at Brisbane’s Mater Mother’s Hospital from 1981 to 1983, tracking them from infancy to adulthood.

During the study, Dr. Bull’s team collaborated with the Queensland Department of Families, Youth and Community Care to identify approximately 600 individuals who had been mistreated before the age of 15. Maltreatment, as defined in this study, included physical, sexual, emotional abuse, or neglect.

The findings revealed a troubling correlation: those who had been maltreated were nearly three times more likely to be hospitalized for alcohol use disorders and over three times as likely to be admitted for substance use disorders compared to their non-maltreated counterparts.

Dr. Bull highlighted that previous research typically focused on physical and sexual abuse, but this study aimed to assess the impact of emotional abuse and neglect as well. The results confirmed that these forms of maltreatment were just as strongly linked to later alcohol and substance misuse.

The study underscores the long-term consequences of childhood mistreatment and suggests that better protection and care for children could significantly reduce the prevalence of these disorders in adulthood.