Grant: CIHR Fellowship

Tragically, nearly 6 in 10 Canadian children experience some form of abuse or neglect. The economic burden is immense, with Canadians spending over $25 billion annually on costs related to child maltreatment (CM). The most common form of CM is neglect, affecting 20-30% of children globally. Neglect has a significant impact on the developing brain and is associated with mental health problems across the lifespan. In turn, mental illness is the leading cause of disability in Canada. Neglect has received the least scientific attention compared to other forms of CM, though there is early evidence that accelerated biological aging - or accelerations in the "ticking" of the aging clock - could be one way through which neglect increases risk for mental illness across the lifespan. An experimental model of neglect can be applied through the study of children raised in institutions as this form of rearing, characterised by the lack of social and sensory input, is a severe form of neglect. Using a landmark 21-year longitudinal study following abandoned children raised in institutions (warehouse-like orphanages), I will develop a cascade model linking neglect to later mental illness through accelerated biological aging. Within this model, I will also examine the role of caregiving quality and stability in protecting youth against negative outcomes. Taking a developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD) approach, this work promises to identify factors that could buffer youth against the long-reaching impacts of neglect. In turn, findings could inform the development of interventions that address the biological and psychological needs of individuals with a history of adversity. Ultimately, this work could guide Canadian public health strategies and policies aimed at protecting Canadian youth against the potential lifelong impacts of neglect on mental health.