CHILDHOOD TRAUMA AND MENTAL HEALTH OUTCOMES IN ADULTHOOD: A LITERATURE REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL MECHANISMS

Abstract

Childhood trauma represents one of the most significant public health challenges of our time, with far-reaching consequences for mental health across the lifespan. This literature review examines the neurobiological and psychological mechanisms through which adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) contribute to mental health disorders in adulthood, including depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and psychosis. Drawing on recent systematic reviews and meta-analyses from interdisciplinary fields including psychology, neuroscience, and psychiatry, this paper explores how early adversity disrupts hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis functioning, alters brain structure and neurochemistry, and establishes maladaptive psychological patterns. The review also considers moderating factors such as social support and resilience, and concludes with implications for prevention and treatment.