The Role of Informal Support in Child Maltreatment Prevention: Scoping Review

Background and Purpose: Social support is recognized as both a protective factor and potential mediator in child maltreatment risk. Despite this, inconsistent findings and conceptual ambiguities have hindered development of effective interventions. This scoping review synthesizes how social support is conceptualized, measured, and examined in relation to child maltreatment to identify knowledge gaps and guide future research. The study addresses three critical questions: (1) What theoretical frameworks explain social support's influence on maltreatment outcomes? (2) How is social support measured across studies? (3) In what capacity has social support been examined—as an independent variable, mediator, or moderator?

Methods: This scoping review followed Arksey and O'Malley's framework, searching seven electronic databases (APA PsycINFO, Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection, SocIDEX, Sociological Collection, Web of Science, PubMed, CINAHL) for studies published between 2000-2024. Inclusion criteria required studies to examine the relationship between social support and direct measures of child maltreatment. After screening 3,474 records, 40 studies met inclusion criteria. Data extraction captured theoretical frameworks, social support measurements, and methodological approaches, with descriptive analysis used to synthesize findings.

Results: Of the 40 studies reviewed, 29 (73%) included explicit theoretical frameworks, with ecological frameworks (n=13) and stress-coping models predominating. Regarding measurement, instrumental support (n=32) and emotional support (n=31) were the most frequently assessed types of support, while belonging (n=10) and informational support (n=9) were less commonly measured. Family was the primary source of support examined (n=21), with many studies (n= 17) not specifying support sources. Lastly, most studies positioned social support as a moderator (n=19), with fewer examining it as a mediator (n=7) or independent variable (n= 14).

Conclusions and Implications: This review reveals significant conceptual and methodological limitations in current research. First, although most studies have relied on ecological theory and stress-coping frameworks, additional research and theoretical frameworks are needed to examine the psychological and social processes through which support may reduce or —fail to reduce — the maltreatment risk. Second, as most studies have measured social support primarily in terms of family support, with less emphasis on support from friends or neighbors, future research should focus on more diverse sources of support. Also, more nuanced measures that distinguish within sources of family support maybe useful, as support from partners and other family members may require different interventions to strengthen support. Third, studies predominantly frame social support as a stable characteristic rather than a malleable factor influenced by structural conditions. Future research should explore social support as an endogenous variable shaped by socioeconomic and structural factors. These approaches could inform more effective interventions addressing both structural conditions and interpersonal resources in child maltreatment prevention.