What we know about child maltreatment perpetrators: A scoping review of research focus and gaps

2026-01-01

PRE

J.J. van Gurp (Jip)

van Koppen(Vere), M. V.

L.J. (Linda) Schoonmade

Vonk(Machteld), M. J. *

Harte(Joke), J. M.

DOI：10.1016/j.avb.2025.102122

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This scoping review synthesized the existing research on perpetrators of child maltreatment, with a focus on methodological approaches and the types of risk factors studied. In total 248 studies published between 2007 and 2023 were systematically analyzed. The findings revealed a mismatch between research focus and societal prevalence: child sexual abuse and fatal child maltreatment were disproportionally represented in the literature, despite being among the less common forms of child maltreatment. In contrast, child physical abuse and child neglect, together accounting for the majority of cases in society, were comparatively underexamined. The review also identifies a methodological bias towards individual-level risk factors, such as family history and psychopathology, while broader contextual factors, including socio-economic conditions and cultural norms, were insufficiently explored. These patterns may stem from the greater availability of data from sources such as police and court files. To develop more effective prevention strategies, future research should broaden its scope to include more prevalent forms of child maltreatment and examine structural and environmental influences. This requires diversifying data sources and adopting methodologies that better capture the complexity of parenting environments and the societal conditions under which child maltreatment occurs.

Keywords:

Child maltreatment

Child abuse

Perpetrator of abuse

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What we know about child maltreatment perpetrators: A scoping review of research focus and gaps

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