Child Abuse & Neglect最新文献

{"title":"Characterizing typologies of overlapping IPV & VAC in the home: Findings from DRC, Ethiopia, and South Africa","authors":"Khudejha Asghar ,&nbsp;Nicola Christofides ,&nbsp;Kathryn Falb ,&nbsp;Nicola Jones ,&nbsp;Franziska Meinck","doi":"10.1016/j.chiabu.2025.107637","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chiabu.2025.107637","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>While intimate partner violence (IPV) and caregiver-perpetrated violence against children (VAC) are recognized as global epidemics, gaps persist in understanding the nature of co-occurring violence within the home.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study seeks to characterize the nature and overlap of concurrent IPV and caregiver-perpetrated VAC in families across three African contexts.</div></div><div><h3>Participants and setting</h3><div>A sample of adult women and children was obtained from the [study name redacted] Wave 1 (2018–2019), [study name redacted] DRC baseline (2019–2020), and [study name redacted] South Africa Wave 3 (2022–2024) studies.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Latent class analysis (LCA) distinguished groups of families by nature and overlap of IPV and VAC. Violence was conceptualized as one construct in DRC and South Africa and two constructs in Ethiopia.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Co-occurring IPV and VAC affected 18.3 % of families in South Africa, 34.3 % in Ethiopia, and 56.1 % in DRC. Twenty percent of Ethiopian families, 15.3 % in DRC, and 4.5 % in South Africa, were characterized by emotional IPV alongside both physical and psychological VAC. In Ethiopia, two classes were distinguished by presence of economic abuse related to either women's earnings (4.1 %) or men's earnings (4.3 %). Systematic violence, characterized by overlap of multiple domains of IPV alongside VAC, affected 15.5 % of families in DRC, 8.2 % in South Africa, and 3.2 % in Ethiopia.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Efforts to measure and address IPV and VAC should include emotional and economic IPV, and consider variation of types and intensity across families. More substantial investment in GBV and VAC services are needed to address shared drivers and ensure coordinated response.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51343,"journal":{"name":"Child Abuse & Neglect","volume":"169 ","pages":"Article 107637"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144828701","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Child sex doll and sex robot research: Taking a child rights perspective.","authors":"Ante Cuvalo, Christine Wekerle","doi":"10.1016/j.chiabu.2025.107623","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2025.107623","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Direct child sexual abuse is pervasive, with consistent estimates across reviews and epidemiology at up to 20 % for girls and up to 15 % for boys; the values are in line with additional online exposure to child sexual abuse materials (CSAM). The 1989 United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child confirms the child's right to protection, to have their views heard, and to have their best interests as a primary consideration. A child rights perspective requires that child safety and safeguarding are prioritized above adult developmental concerns. This article discusses the issue of one type of child sexual abuse material - child sex dolls and sex robots - i.e., anatomically correct, child-like commercial products for adults with a sexual interest in child materials. These customizable dolls/robotics have child-like features, body orifices and technology-facilitated programmable features. Child sex dolls have been used in therapeutic contexts with self-identified, treatment-seeking adults with various levels of interest in children. While advocates of child sex dolls propose a harm reduction rationale, in terms of satisfying adult sexual choice, there is very little supportive scientific evidence. We discuss the research on the risk-benefit approach to child sex dolls in the context of a child rights framework. With many jurisdictions categorizing these as either illegal or CSAM, we call for a standardized policy and clinical approach to achieve uniform child safeguarding initiatives.</p>","PeriodicalId":51343,"journal":{"name":"Child Abuse & Neglect","volume":" ","pages":"107623"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144859909","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"HPA-axis multilocus genetic variation moderates longitudinal link between friendship quality and adolescent depressive symptoms after childhood abuse","authors":"Xian Zhao ,&nbsp;Mengmeng Chang ,&nbsp;Zihao Zeng ,&nbsp;Yiqiu Hu","doi":"10.1016/j.chiabu.2025.107635","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chiabu.2025.107635","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Studies indicate that genetic variations associated with the functioning of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis can influence the relationship between environmental stressors and depressive symptoms, but examining gene-environment interactions with single polymorphisms limits power.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study examined a multilocus genetic profile score (MGPS) for HPA-axis function and investigated its interaction with childhood abuse, friendship quality, and the longitudinal trajectory of depressive symptoms among adolescents.</div></div><div><h3>Method</h3><div>A total of 931 adolescents (<em>M</em>_age = 14.21, 54.6 % girls) were assessed at baseline and followed across three additional waves at six-month intervals over two years. Additive MGPS were calculated using six single nucleotide polymorphisms within HPA-axis genes (NR3C1, NR3C2, SKA2, FKBP5). For the final analysis, 483 participants were included based on reported childhood abuse (score ≥ 1) and valid genetic data.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Latent growth modeling revealed upward trajectories in both friendship quality and depressive symptoms. The latent growth interaction model revealed a significant three-way interaction (G × E₁ × E₂), where higher HPA-axis multilocus genetic variation risk scores strengthened the interaction between childhood abuse and friendship quality in predicting depressive symptoms trajectories. Specifically, under high HPA-axis multilocus genetic variation risk scores and childhood abuse, a higher increase in friendship quality predicted a decline in depressive symptoms, while lower friendship growth predicted an increase, consistent with the differential susceptibility model.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>These findings suggest that enhancing friendship quality may buffer against depressive symptom escalation among adolescents with heightened genetic and environmental vulnerabilities. Targeting peer relationships could serve as a promising direction for early intervention efforts.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51343,"journal":{"name":"Child Abuse & Neglect","volume":"169 ","pages":"Article 107635"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144828699","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Juvenile parricide in Turkey: Forensic psychiatric perspectives on child abuse, family violence, and fatal outcomes","authors":"Neşe Kavruk Erdim,&nbsp;Gamze Baş","doi":"10.1016/j.chiabu.2025.107639","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chiabu.2025.107639","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Juvenile parricide— defined as the killing of a parent by a child or adolescent —is a rare but devastating form of family violence, often rooted in chronic abuse, emotional dysregulation, and untreated psychiatric conditions. Despite its severity, systematic research remains limited, particularly in non-Western contexts.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This retrospective study examined the forensic psychiatric, sociodemographic, clinical, and offense-related characteristics of juvenile parricide offenders (JPOs) in Türkiye and identified factors associated with fatal outcomes, victim identity, weapon type, and offender gender and age.</div></div><div><h3>Participants and setting</h3><div>The sample consisted of 29 adolescents (aged 12–18 years) referred to a national forensic board in Türkiye for psychiatric evaluation following an act or attempt of parricide between 2017 and 2023.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A retrospective descriptive analysis was conducted using forensic psychiatric reports. Data included demographics, psychiatric history, substance use, abuse histories, weapon type, and offense characteristics. Descriptive statistics and group comparisons were performed using Fisher's Exact Test.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Most offenders were male (75.9 %) with a mean age of 15.19 ± 1.39 years. Biological fathers were the most common victims (69 %). The most frequently used weapons were sharp objects (48.3 %) and firearms (41.4 %). Psychiatric disorders were present in 31 %, and 62.1 % had a history of abuse. Fatal outcomes were significantly associated with sharp object use (<em>p</em> = 0.014), absence of substance use (<em>p</em> = 0.013), and lower rates of prior offending (<em>p</em> = 0.033). Abuse history was more prevalent among those who killed their fathers than their mothers (<em>p</em> = 0.004). Weapon choice varied by age group: younger adolescents (12–14 years) primarily used firearms, while older adolescents (15–17 years) more often used sharp objects (<em>p</em> = 0.008).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Juvenile parricide offenders in Türkiye exhibit distinct developmental and trauma-related risk profiles. These findings underscore the importance of culturally informed, trauma-sensitive forensic evaluations and early intervention strategies—particularly in regions with high rates of family violence and limited access to child mental health services.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51343,"journal":{"name":"Child Abuse & Neglect","volume":"169 ","pages":"Article 107639"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144830701","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Child maltreatment and mental health in later life: The moderating role of longitudinal lifestyle patterns in a UK cohort.","authors":"Qian-Wen Xie, Xu Li Fan, Yincun Wang, Jingyun Zhang, Zuyun Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.chiabu.2025.107632","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2025.107632","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>A healthy lifestyle may buffer the adverse mental health effects of childhood adversity. However, most studies assess isolated lifestyle behaviors at a single time point, failing to capture their synergistic and dynamic nature over the life course. The interplay between child maltreatment (CM) and long-term lifestyle trajectories in shaping mental health outcomes remains underexplored.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>To examine how lifestyle trajectories moderate the association between CM and later-life mental health, and whether these moderation effects differ by sex and age.</p><p><strong>Participants and setting: </strong>This study included 39,437 adults aged 40-71 years (53.03 % female; 97.69 % White) from the UK Biobank.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Group-based trajectory modeling identified patterns of combined lifestyle behaviors over time. Poisson regression and general linear regression were used to assess the associations between CM, lifestyle trajectories, and mental health outcomes.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>CM was associated with poor mental health in a dose-response manner (p < 0.001), with emotional abuse and neglect showing stronger effects. Five lifestyle trajectories were identified: \"persistent unhealthy\", \"increasing healthy\", \"moderate healthy\", \"decreasing healthy\", and \"persistent healthy.\" These lifestyle trajectories significantly moderated the association between CM and depression, anxiety, and reduced mental well-being, but not for self-harm. Moderation effects were more pronounced among younger adults.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The study underscores the value of life course frameworks in addressing the long-term psychological impacts of CM. By linking early developmental risk with modifiable health behaviors across the lifespan, our findings inform strategies aimed at advancing population-level mental health equity and resilience.</p>","PeriodicalId":51343,"journal":{"name":"Child Abuse & Neglect","volume":"169 Pt 1","pages":"107632"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144818188","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Corrigendum to \"Mediational analysis of severe retinal injury causation in children with acute closed head injury\" [Child Abuse & Neglect (2025) Vol. 167, Page 107539, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2025.107539].","authors":"Stephen C Boos, Fang Wang, Ming Wang, Kent P Hymel","doi":"10.1016/j.chiabu.2025.107625","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chiabu.2025.107625","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":51343,"journal":{"name":"Child Abuse & Neglect","volume":"169 Pt 1","pages":"107625"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144812661","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Trajectories of risk in early psychosocial development: Children of mothers exposed to intimate partner violence from refugee and non-refugee backgrounds in Australia.","authors":"Susan J Rees, Jane Fisher, Tyson Whitten, Aino Suomi, Melissa Green, Fatima Hassoun, Batool Moussa, Nawal Nadar, Alvin Kuowei Tay, Clare McCormack, Derrick Silove","doi":"10.1016/j.chiabu.2025.107622","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2025.107622","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The maternal experience of intimate partner violence is associated with a range of emotional and behavioural problems in young children.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>To prospectively examine the impact of maternal perinatal intimate partner violence experiences on children's risk trajectories of social-emotional development, including theoretically relevant social, economic, maternal mental health and trauma factors, as well as refugee status.</p><p><strong>Participants: </strong>870 mother-child dyads in the WATCH mental health cohort study, half from refugee background.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>Multigroup trajectory modelling of annually collected longitudinal data at 5 timepoints, from when the children were 18-24 months to 60 months of age.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The trajectory modelling revealed 4 distinct trajectories of child social-emotional development: (1) \"none or low risk\" trajectory (n = 710, 81.6 % of the sample); (2) \"declining risk\" trajectory (n = 66, 7.6 %); (3) \"intermittent risk\" trajectory (n = 64, 7.4 %); and (4) \"high increasing risk\" trajectory (n = 30; 3.4 %). Compared to the group 1 \"none or low risk\", maternal IPV exposure to physical abuse at baseline was associated with 2.45 times greater odds of children following the \"intermittent risk\" development trajectory, and 4.90 times greater odds of children following the \"high increasing risk\" trajectory. Children in trajectory 4 \"high increasing risk\" were more likely to be male, and mothers were more likely to be born in Australia, have no tertiary education, and experience social and economic difficulties.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The study contributes significantly to understanding the deleterious impact of IPV on child development over time, including unique evidence that socially relevant and modifiable risk factors are more strongly associated with adverse child development than traditionally emphasised factors such as maternal mental health and child attachment factors.</p>","PeriodicalId":51343,"journal":{"name":"Child Abuse & Neglect","volume":"169 Pt 1","pages":"107622"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144812663","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"An updated typology of commercial sexual exploitation of children and youth cases coming to law enforcement attention in 2021: Implications for identification and investigations.","authors":"Kimberly J Mitchell, Lisa M Jones, Jennifer E O'Brien, Alli Puchlopek-Adams","doi":"10.1016/j.chiabu.2025.107619","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2025.107619","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Understanding the details and dynamics of commercial sexual exploitation (CSE) of children and youth can offer professionals information to assist in victim identification and referrals to appropriate services. This is especially pressing given the changing landscape of CSE investigations.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>To update an existing typology of CSE cases coming to law enforcement attention that captures new case dynamics.</p><p><strong>Participants and setting: </strong>361cases of CSE investigated by law enforcement across the US in 2021.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Respondents were recruited using mail surveys sent to a random sample of law enforcement agencies in the United States stratified by agency size. Surveys identified the key investigating officer of CSE cases, whom we contacted for interviews or case record requests.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>CSE cases were first distinguished by whether they involved an identified minor victim. Out of the 361 cases in our sample, 81.2 % involved an identified minor and in 18.8 % there were no identified minors. Cases not involving identified minors were undercover investigations or involved the purchase of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) without an identified victim. Cases that did involve identified victims were equally divided between those involving third-party exploiters (56.7 %) and no known third-party exploiter (43.3 %). Technology played a central role in the dynamics of cases, particularly in how the commercial exchange of CSAM was used to facilitate hands-on offenses. In comparison to cases with no known third-party exploiter, those with were significantly more likely to involve multiple suspects, older youth, race or ethnic minority youth, youth with a history of running away and suicidal behavior. These cases were more likely to include aggravating elements, such as the minor being given alcohol or drugs, depicted in CSAM, exposure to unprotected sex, and physical assault. These minors were also more likely to have a history of involvement with child protective services for child abuse or neglect.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>More diverse training and resources are needed for police to better identify the diversity of CSE cases, especially those facilitated through technology. Future research should focus on populations which are under-represented in CSE investigations, such as boys and sexual and gender minority youth.</p>","PeriodicalId":51343,"journal":{"name":"Child Abuse & Neglect","volume":"169 Pt 1","pages":"107619"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144812660","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Impact of maltreatment, shame and self-criticism on psychological difficulties: A variable- and a person-centred approach with adolescents from community and residential youth care.","authors":"Rita Ramos Miguel, Laura Santos, Maria do Céu Salvador, Luiza Nobre-Lima, Daniel Rijo","doi":"10.1016/j.chiabu.2025.107627","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2025.107627","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Childhood maltreatment is recognized as a primary contributor to psychological distress. Adolescents living in residential youth care (RYC) are a particularly vulnerable group, as their placement often results from repeated maltreatment. Nevertheless, the intermediary processes between maltreatment and psychological distress remain less clear. Previous research has identified the transdiagnostic value of feelings of shame and self-criticism, as well as the connection between childhood maltreatment and these two variables, yet no conceptual model integrating them has been tested.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>To propose a conceptual model that integrates the experience of childhood maltreatment with feelings of shame, and self-criticism, and examines their contribution to psychological difficulties in RYC adolescents, compared with adolescents living with their families.</p><p><strong>Participants and setting: </strong>Adolescents from RYC (N = 313) and community (N = 272) were invited to answer self-report questionnaires.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A variable-centred (path analysis) and a person-centred approach (latent profile analysis) were conducted to examine the role of childhood maltreatment, feelings of shame, and self-criticism on psychological difficulties.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Variable-centred results showed experiences of childhood maltreatment were only indirectly (via feelings of shame and self-criticism) associated with psychological difficulties, for both RYC and community adolescents. Person-centred analysis was performed exclusively for RYC adolescents, and allowed to identify three vulnerability profiles based on low, moderate and high levels of childhood maltreatment, feelings of shame and self-criticism. The high vulnerability profile was associated with higher levels of internalised and externalised psychological difficulties.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Feelings of shame and self-criticism seem to be key variables linking childhood maltreatment to psychological difficulties in adolescence. Psychological assessment and intervention protocols within RYC should address feelings of shame and self-criticism to counteract psychological difficulties in this particularly vulnerable population.</p>","PeriodicalId":51343,"journal":{"name":"Child Abuse & Neglect","volume":"169 Pt 1","pages":"107627"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144812662","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Understanding the development, performance, fairness, and transparency of machine learning models used in child protection prediction: A systematic review.","authors":"Claudia Bull, Steve Kisely, Kim Betts, Yanan Hu","doi":"10.1016/j.chiabu.2025.107630","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2025.107630","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>To understand the development and validation of contemporary machine learning (ML) models for child protection prediction, their performance evaluation, integration of fairness, and operationalisation of model explainability and transparency.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This systematic review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Model transparency was assessed against the Transparent Reporting of a multivariable prediction model for Individual Prognosis Or Diagnosis + Artificial Intelligence (TRIPOD+AI) criteria, while study risk of bias and model applicability were evaluated using Prediction model Risk Of Bias ASsessment Tool (PROBAST) criteria.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Eleven studies were identified, employing various ML approaches such as supervised classification models (e.g., binary classification, decision trees, support vector machines), regression models, and ensemble methods. These models utilised administrative health, child welfare, and criminal/court data. Performance was evaluated using a range of discrimination, classification, and calibration metrics, yielding variable results. Only four models incorporated group fairness, focusing on race/ethnicity as the protected attribute. Explainability and transparency were enhanced through Receiver Operating Curves, Precision-Recall Curves, feature importance plots, and SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) plots. According to TRIPOD+AI criteria, only four studies reported likely reproducible models. Based on PROBAST criteria, all studies had unclear or high risk of bias.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This is the first review to use TRIPOD+AI and PROBAST criteria to assess the risk of bias and transparency of ML models in child protection prediction. The findings reveal that the field remains methodologically immature, with many models lacking fair, transparent, and reproducible methods. Adoption of advanced fairness techniques (beyond fairness-through-unawareness), stakeholder involvement in model development and validation, and transparency through data and code sharing will be essential for the ethical and effective design of ML models, ultimately improving decision-making processes and outcomes for vulnerable children and families.</p>","PeriodicalId":51343,"journal":{"name":"Child Abuse & Neglect","volume":"169 Pt 1","pages":"107630"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144805298","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}