Alterations in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and its effector hormone cortisol have been proposed as one possible mechanism linking child maltreatment experiences to health disparities. In this series of meta-analyses, we aimed to quantify the existing evidence on the effect of child maltreatment on various measures of HPA axis activity. The systematic literature search yielded 1,858 records, of which 87 studies (k = 132) were included. Using random-effects models, we found evidence for blunted cortisol stress reactivity in individuals exposed to child maltreatment. In contrast, no overall differences were found in any of the other HPA axis activity measures (including measures of daily activity, cortisol assessed in the context of pharmacological challenges and cumulative measures of cortisol secretion). The impact of several moderators (e.g., sex, psychopathology, study quality), the role of methodological shortcomings of existing studies, as well as potential directions for future research are discussed.
Keywords: Child maltreatment; Combined dexamethasone-corticotropin releasing hormone test; Corticotropin-releasing hormone test; Cortisol awakening response; Dexamethasone suppression test; Diurnal cortisol; Hair cortisol; Hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis; Meta-analysis; Stress reactivity; Systematic review; Urinary free cortisol.
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