Recently, this paper by PhD students Jasmin Pasteuning and Caroline Broeder and colleagues is published in Neurobiology of Stress.
Experiences of trauma in childhood, such as abuse and neglect, can have long-lasting effects on both mental and physical health. These early-life stressors increase the risk of developing a range of conditions later in life, from depression and anxiety to heart disease and other chronic illnesses.
Researchers have found that childhood trauma doesn’t just affect one part of us, it can influence our biology, psychology, and behavior. For example, it can change how our brain and stress systems develop and affect how we cope with emotions. It can also influence lifestyle habits like smoking, exercise, or sleep.
Because all these effects are connected, this paper argues that we need to look at them together rather than in isolation. We propose an integrated approach to understanding how trauma impacts health, one that looks across biology, psychology, and behavior, applies to both mental and physical conditions, and looks beyond diagnostic labels. We also call for more focus on how daily stress interacts with early trauma, and highlight the importance of recognizing childhood trauma as a key factor in health.
The results highlight the need for greater recognition of childhood trauma as a fundamental factor in long-term health. In clinical practice, this means routinely screening for trauma and addressing its wide-ranging effects across diagnoses. For research, it supports more integrated, transdiagnostic approaches that examine (neuro)biological, psychological, and behavioral mechanisms together. By embedding this understanding into both practice and research, we can move toward more personalized, effective care, ultimately improving treatment and prevention for those affected by childhood trauma.
J.M. Pasteuning, C. Broeder, T.A.A. Broeders, R.G.G. Busby, A.W. Gathier, E. Kuzminskaite, F. Linsen, C.P. Souama, J.E. Verhoeven, M.S.C. Sep, C.H. Vinkers,
Mechanisms of childhood trauma: an integrative review of a multimodal, transdiagnostic pathway. Neurobiology of Stress, Volume 37, 2025, 100737,
ISSN 2352-2895, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ynstr.2025.100737.
Figure: Transdiagnostic mechanisms linking childhood trauma exposure to mental and somatic health.