Supportive relationships in childhood help buffer the long-term health effects of abuse

A consistent, caring adult during childhood can make a profound difference for child survivors of physical or sexual abuse. That is the key finding of a new peer-reviewed study published in the Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma, which examined health outcomes among more than 2,100 American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) adults in the United States.

Using nationally representative data from the 2021–2023 U.S. Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, researchers found that childhood abuse was strongly associated with a wide range of negative physical and mental health outcomes in adulthood, including depression, arthritis, stroke, asthma, cognitive difficulties, and obesity. However, the presence of a protective adult in the household - especially one who made the child feel safe "all of the time" - significantly reduced the risk of many of these outcomes.

Our study shows that supportive relationships in childhood matter deeply and can leave a lasting health imprint. Feeling protected during childhood appears to buffer the long-term physiological and psychological toll of abuse."

Ashley L. Quinn, lead author and assistant professor, Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work (FIFSW), University of Toronto

The study eschews a deficit-focused narrative (stories that focus on disadvantages, failures or weaknesses) in favour of highlighting resilience and protective factors within Indigenous communities, an area that has long been underrepresented in population health research.

Childhood physical or sexual abuse was common among the sample participants: more than one in four respondents reported physical abuse, and nearly one in eight reported sexual abuse. These experiences were linked to elevated odds of poor mental health, chronic disease, and disability decades later. Crucially, when researchers accounted for whether respondents felt safe and protected by an adult during childhood, the strength of associations between childhood physical or sexual abuse and poor health and mental health in adulthood was often reduced.

The findings were particularly striking for mental health outcomes. The odds of major depressive disorder were substantially lower among adults who recalled consistent protection from a trusted adult.

"Safe relationships help children regulate stress and develop healthier coping strategies," said coauthor Teagan D.M. Miller a recent Masters of Social Work graduate of FIFSW, University of Toronto. "Our results suggest these early relational experiences continue to shape mental health well into adulthood."

Physical health outcomes also showed meaningful attenuation after accounting for protective adults, with the associations between abuse and conditions such as heart disease and smoking reduced or eliminated.

"This study underscores that social relationships are not 'soft' variables - they are biologically and clinically consequential," said coauthor Shannon K. Halls, research coordinator at FIFSW, University of Toronto. "They should be considered central to public health prevention strategies."

Importantly, the research emphasizes culturally informed approaches that recognize Indigenous strengths rather than exclusively focusing on risk.

"Public health policies must work with, not over, Indigenous communities," noted Philip Baiden of the School of Social Work, University of Texas at Arlington. "Interventions that reinforce existing relational strengths may be especially powerful."

The authors argue that investments in child protection, mentorship, and family support are not only morally imperative but also essential for long-term health equity.

"Protecting children today may substantially reduce chronic disease burdens tomorrow." said senior author Esme Fuller-Thomson, professor at the University of Toronto and director of the Institute for Life Course & Aging at FIFSW. "It appears that resilience grows where protection is present."