Forensic assessment of psychological impact on victims of child abuse and neglect. Systematic Review
Keywords:
child maltreatment, forensic assessment, neglect, complex trauma, psychological diagnosisAbstract
Child abuse and neglect generate profound psychological sequelae that require rigorous forensic evaluations, given their impact on judicial decision-making for the protection of children and adolescents. The aim of this study was to examine, through a systematic review, the forensic methods and procedures used to assess the psychological sequelae of child abuse and neglect, analysing the available evidence on their validity, diagnostic accuracy and relevance for the emotional protection of children. The research followed the PRISMA 2020 guidelines and, after reviewing 518 records, 14 studies evaluated with CASP and JBI tools were selected. The results show a high degree of methodological heterogeneity, with a predominance of clinical interviews, psychometric tests and multi-method approaches, many of them without specific validation for the Ecuadorian population. Structural barriers were also identified, such as the lack of standardised protocols, specialised training and inter-institutional coordination. It is concluded that strengthening child forensic assessment requires technical standardisation, a trauma-sensitive approach and more contextualised research.
Keywords: child maltreatment, forensic assessment, neglect, complex trauma, psychological diagnosis.
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