Journal Articles
Publications are also arranged alphabetically by surname of the lead author. All articles are open access and freely available at the weblinks. This list will be periodically updated to add references to new publications.
The list of journal articles below is arranged in three thematic groups, and in chronological order within each group with the most recent publications listed first.
Main findings on the national prevalence of child maltreatment, and the associations between child maltreatment and mental health, health risk behaviours, and health service utilisation
These five articles are the foundational works generated by the ACMS about the national prevalence of child maltreatment, and its associated health outcomes. They were published together in the MJA Supplement, which can be downloaded as a single comprehensive resource. Alternatively, specific articles can be accessed individually.
Mathews, B., Pacella, R. E., Scott, J. G., Finkelhor, D., Meinck, F., Higgins, D. J., Erskine, H. E., Thomas, H. J., Lawrence, D. M., Haslam, D. M., Malacova, E., & Dunne, M. P. (2023). The prevalence of child maltreatment in Australia: findings from a national survey. Medical Journal of Australia, 218 (6 Suppl): S13-S18. http://dx.doi.org/10.5694/mja2.51873
Higgins, D. J., Mathews, B., Pacella, R. E., Scott, J. G., Finkelhor, D., Meinck, F., Erskine, H. E., Thomas, H. J., Lawrence, D. M., Haslam, D. M., Malacova, E., & Dunne, M. P. (2023). The prevalence and nature of multi-type child maltreatment in Australia. Medical Journal of Australia, 218 (6 Suppl): S19-S25. http://dx.doi.org/10.5694/mja2.51868
Scott, J. G., Malacova, E., Mathews, B., Haslam, D. M., Pacella, R. E., Higgins, D. J., Meinck, F., Dunne, M. P., Finkelhor, D., Erskine, H. E., Lawrence, D. M., & Thomas, H. J. (2023). The association between child maltreatment and mental disorders in the Australian Child Maltreatment Study. Medical Journal of Australia, 218 (6 Suppl): S26-S33. http://dx.doi.org/10.5694/mja2.51870
Lawrence, D. M., Hunt, A., Mathews, B., Haslam, D. M., Malacova, E., Dunne, M. P., Erskine, H. E., Higgins, D. J., Finkelhor, D., Pacella, R. E., Meinck, F., Thomas, H. J., & Scott, J. G. (2023). Association between child maltreatment and health risk behaviours and conditions throughout life: The Australian Child Maltreatment Study. Medical Journal of Australia, 218 (6 Suppl): S34-S39. http://dx.doi.org/10.5694/mja2.51877
Pacella, R. E., Nation A, Mathews, B., Scott, J. G., Higgins, D. J., Haslam, D. M., Dunne, M. P., Finkelhor, D., Meinck, F., Erskine, H. E., Thomas, H. J., Malacova, E., Lawrence, D. M., & Monks C. (2023). Child maltreatment and health service utilisation: findings from the Australian Child Maltreatment Study. Medical Journal of Australia, 218 (6 Suppl): S40-S46. http://dx.doi.org/10.5694/mja2.51892
Other articles on the nature and characteristics of child maltreatment, other associated outcomes of maltreatment, and other significant topics considered by the ACMS
These articles consider important topics for science, policy, and practice. Each article was carefully designed to contribute important evidence to major gaps in knowledge, and to help generate new scientific understandings and inform enhanced policy and practice.
Mathews, B. (2026). Child sexual abuse in Australia: A national evidence base on prevalence, perpetrators, and disclosure, and implications for the judiciary. Judicial Officers’ Bulletin, 38(1), 1-7.
Mathews, B., Parvin, K., Walsh, K., Finkelhor, D., Higgins, D. J., Scott, J. G., Napier, S., Burton, M., Nicholas, M., Noll, J., Flynn, A., & de Silva, A. (2025). Online Child Sexual Victimization and Associated Health Risk Behaviours and Mental Disorders: Findings From a National Survey in Australia. Social Science & Medicine - Mental Health, 9, 100581. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmmh.2025.100581
Le, D. Q., Le, L. K., Yap, M. B. H., Haslam, D. M., Higgins, D. J., Malacova, E., Scott, J. G., Lawrence, D., Mathews, B., & Mihalopoulos, C. (2025). Impact of Child Maltreatment on the Costs of Health Service Use and Productivity Loss: Findings from the Australian Child Maltreatment Study. Child Abuse & Neglect, 171, 107818. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2025.107818
Higgins, D., Lawrence, D., Haslam, D., Mathews, B., et al. (2025). Prevalence of diverse genders and sexualities in Australia and associations with five forms of child maltreatment and multi-type maltreatment. Child Maltreatment, 30(1), 21-41.
https://doi.org/10.1177/1077559523122633
Mathews, B., Finkelhor, D., Malacova, E., Higgins, D. J., Collin-Vézina, D., & Do, H. (2025). The characteristics of first disclosure of child sexual abuse: age, delay, recipient, and feeling of support. Child Abuse & Neglect, 170, 107803. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2025.107803
Mathews, B., Do, H., Lawrence, D., Madzoska, M., Higgins, D., Scott, J., Cubitt, T., Napier, S. (2025). Associations between five forms of childhood maltreatment and intimate partner violence victimization in adulthood: Findings from a national survey in Australia. Journal of Interpersonal Violence. Advance online: https://doi.org/10.1177/088626052513984
Mathews, B., & Dube, S. (2025). Childhood emotional abuse is becoming a public health priority: evidentiary support for a paradigm change. Child Protection & Practice, 4, 100093 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chipro.2024.100093
Thomas, H.J., Mathews, B., Green, J.G., Haslam, D.M., Healy, K. L., Pacella, R., Higgins, D.J., Finkelhor, D., Malacova, E., Erskine, H.E., Lawrence, D.M., Meinck, F., & Scott, J.G. (2025). Peer and Sibling Bullying Victimization in Childhood: Prevalence in a National Australian Cohort Aged 16 Years and Older. International Journal of Bullying Prevention. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42380-025-00307-3
Mathews, B., Walsh, K., Finkelhor, D., Parvin, K., Burton, M., Nicholas, M., Napier, S., Cubitt, T., de Silva, A., Higgins, D. J., Scott, J. G., Noll, J., & Flynn, A. (2025). Disclosure of online child sexual victimisation: Findings from the Australian Child Maltreatment Study. Child Abuse & Neglect, 165, 107493. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2025.107493
Walsh, K., Mathews, B., Parvin, K., Smith, R., Burton, M., Nicholas, M., Napier, S., Cubitt, T., Erskine, H. E., Thomas, H. J., Finkelhor, D., Higgins, D. J., Scott, J. G., Flynn, A., Noll, J., Malacova, E., Le, H., & Tran, N. (2025). Prevalence and characteristics of online child sexual victimization: Findings from the Australian Child Maltreatment Study. Child Abuse & Neglect, 160, 107186. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2024.107186
Mathews, B., Finkelhor, D., Collin-Vézina, D., Malacova, E., Thomas, H. J., Scott, J. G., Higgins, D. J., Meinck, F., Pacella, R. E., Erskine, H. E., Haslam, D. M., & Lawrence, D. (2025). Disclosure and non-disclosure of childhood sexual abuse: results from a national survey. Child Abuse & Neglect, 160, 107183. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2024.107183
Mathews, B., Hegarty, K.., MacMillan, H. L., Madzoska, M., Erskine, H. E., Pacella, R. E., Scott, J. G., Thomas, H. J., Meinck, F., Higgins, D. J., Lawrence, D., Haslam, D. M., Roetman, S., Malacova, E., & Cubitt, T. (2025). The lifetime prevalence of intimate partner violence in Australia: Findings from a national survey. Medical Journal of Australia, 222(9), 440-448. https://doi.org/10.5694/mja2.52660
Madzoska, M., Lawrence, D., Higgins, D., Haslam, D., Mathews, B., Malacova, E., Dunne, M., Erskine, H., Pacella, R., Meinck, F., Thomas, H., & Scott, J. (2025). Child maltreatment, mental health disorders and health risk behaviors in people with diverse gender identities. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 40(9-10), 2281–2306. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/08862605241270077
Harris, L., Higgins, D., Willis, M., Lawrence, D., Mathews, B., Meinck, F., & Haslam, D. M. (2025). Determining the effect of out-of-home care on mental health outcomes: A propensity score-matched study of maltreatment intensity. Child Abuse & Neglect, 167, 107571. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2025.107571
Harris, L., Higgins, D., Willis, M., Lawrence, D., Mathews, B., Thomas, H., Malacova, E., Pacella, R., Scott, J., Finkelhor, D., Meinck, F., Erskine, H., & Haslam, D. (2025). The Prevalence and Patterns of Maltreatment, Childhood Adversity, and Mental Health Disorders in an Australian Out-Of-Home Care Sample. Child Maltreatment, 30(1), 42-54. https://doi.org/10.1177/10775595241246534
Blake, J. A., Thomas, H. J., Mathews, B., Lawrence, D. M., Haslam, D. M., Higgins, D. J., Malacova, E., Erskine, H. E., & Scott, J. (2025). Experiences of Domestic Violence and other adversities in Australian Children. Journal of Family Violence, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-025-00999-7
Blake, J. A., Thomas, H. J., Mathews, B., Lawrence, D. M., Haslam, D. M., Higgins, D. J., Malacova, E., Erskine, H. E., & Scott, J. (2025). Childhood experiences of domestic violence and its association with mental disorders and health risk behaviours. The British Journal of Psychiatry (in press).
Rattambige, D., Higgins, D. J., Whittle, S., Cole, M., Mathews, B., Scott, J. G., Erskine, H. E., Meinck, F., Pacella, R. E., Lawrence, D., & Haslam, D. M. (2025). The impact of child maltreatment and adverse childhood experiences on problematic alcohol use in a nationally representative survey of youth. Child Maltreatment, 0(0), https://doi.org/10.1177/10775595251387118
Hunt, G. R., Higgins, D. J., Willis, M. L., Mathews, B., Lawrence, D., Meinck, F., Pacella, R., Thomas, H. J., Scott, J. G., Erskine, H. E., Malacova, E., & Haslam, D. M. (2024). The Prevalence of Peer Sexual Harassment During Childhood in Australia. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 39(23-24), 5108-5130. https://doi.org/10.1177/08862605241245368
Mathews, B., Finkelhor, D., Pacella, R., Scott, J. G., Higgins, D. J., Meinck, F., Erskine, H. E., Thomas, H. J., Lawrence, D., Malacova, E., Haslam, D. M., & Collin-Vézina, D. (2024). Child sexual abuse by different classes and types of perpetrator: Prevalence and trends from an Australian national survey. Child Abuse & Neglect, 147, 106562. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2023.106562 (Awarded Article of the year)
Higgins, D. J., & Mathews, B. (2024). Research engagement and impact: The Australian Child Maltreatment Study and pathways to evidence-based policy and practice. Children Australia, 46(1), 3012. https://childrenaustralia.org.au/journal/article/3012/
Hunt, G., Mathews, B., Higgins, D., Finkelhor, D., Willis, M., Haslam, D., Lawrence, D., Meinck, F., Thomas, H., Malacova, E., Pacella, R., Scott, J. (2024). The prevalence of child sexual abuse perpetrated by leaders or other adults in religious organizations in Australia. Child Abuse & Neglect, 155, 106946. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2024.106946
Haslam, D., Malacova, E., Lawrence, D., Higgins, D., Meinck, F., Mathews, B., Havighurst, S., Pacella, R., Erskine, H., Thomas, H., Scott, J., Finkelhor, D. (2024). The prevalence of corporal punishment in Australia: findings from a nationally representative survey. Australian Journal of Social Issues, 59(3), 580-604. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajs4.301
Mathews, B., Papalia, N., Napier, S., Malacova, E., Lawrence, D., Higgins, D. J., Thomas, H. J., Erskine, H. E., Meinck, F., Haslam, D. M., Scott, J. G., Finkelhor, D,. Pacella, R. E. (2023). Child maltreatment and criminal justice system involvement in Australia: Findings from a national survey. Trends and Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, No. 681. Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology. https://doi.org/10.52922/ti77215
Mathews, B. (2024). The Australian Child Maltreatment Study: National prevalence and associated health outcomes of child abuse and neglect. Letter in reply. Medical Journal of Australia, 220(5), 275-275. https://doi.org/10.5694/mja2.52231
Scott, J. G., & Mathews, B. (2023). Introducing the Australian Child Maltreatment Study: Baseline evidence for a national public health challenge. Medical Journal of Australia, 218 (6 Suppl), S3-S4. http://dx.doi.org/10.5694/mja2.51867
Mathews, B., Thomas, H. J., & Scott, J. G. (2023). A new era in child maltreatment prevention: Call to action. Medical Journal of Australia, 218 (6 Suppl): S47-S51. http://dx.doi.org/10.5694/mja2.51872
Articles on approach and methodology
Epidemiological surveys of child maltreatment are exceptionally complex, and require a rigorous and ethical approach to all aspects of the work. The approach and methodology of the ACMS was carefully planned over many years, and involved detailed, multidisciplinary research and analysis. We published significant articles on multiple different aspects of our approach and methodology.
Mathews, B. (2023). Adolescent capacity to consent to participate in research: A review and analysis informed by law, human rights, ethics, and developmental science. Laws, 12(2), https://doi.org/10.3390/laws12010002
Haslam DM, Lawrence DM, Mathews B, Higgins DJ, Hunt A, Scott JG, Dunne MP, Erskine HE, Thomas HJ, Finkelhor D, Pacella R, Meinck F, Malacova E. (2023). Methodology of the Australian Child Maltreatment Study (ACMS): A national survey of the prevalence of child maltreatment and its correlates. Medical Journal of Australia, 218 (6 Suppl): S5-S12. http://dx.doi.org/10.5694/mja2.51869
Mathews, B., Meinck, F., Erskine, H., Tran, N., Le, H., Kellard, K., Pacella, R., Scott, J. G., Finkelhor, D., Higgins, D. J., Thomas, H., & Haslam, D. (2023). Adaptation and validation of the Juvenile Victimization Questionnaire-R2 for a national study of child maltreatment in Australia. Child Abuse & Neglect, 139, 106093, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2023.106093
Mathews, B. (2022). Legal duties of researchers to protect participants in child maltreatment surveys: Advancing legal epidemiology. University of New South Wales Law Journal, 45(2), 722-763. https://doi.org/10.53637/OAKC2052
Mathews, B., MacMillan, H. L., Meinck, F., Finkelhor, D., Haslam, D., Tonmyr, L., Gonzalez, A., Afifi, T. O., Scott, J. G., Pacella, R. E., Higgins, D., Thomas, H., Collin-Vézina, D., & Walsh, K. (2022). The ethics of child maltreatment surveys in relation to participant distress: Implications of social science evidence, ethical guidelines, and law. Child Abuse & Neglect, 123, 105424. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2021.105424
Mathews, B. (2021). Duties to report child sexual offences: A new era in Australian criminal law. Canberra Law Review, 18(2), 54-81. http://www.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdoc/au/journals/CanLawRw//2021/13.html
Mathews, B., Pacella, R., Dunne, M., Scott, J., Finkelhor, D., Meinck, F., Higgins, D., Erskine, H., Thomas, H., Haslam, D., Tran, N., Le, H., Honey, N., Kellard, K., & Lawrence, D. (2021). The Australian Child Maltreatment Study (ACMS): Protocol for a national survey of the prevalence of child abuse and neglect, associated mental disorders and physical health problems, and burden of disease. BMJ Open, 11(5) e047074. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2020-047074
Mathews, B., Pacella, R., Dunne, M., Simunovic, M., & Marston, C. (2020). Improving measurement of child abuse and neglect: A systematic review and analysis of national prevalence studies. PLoS ONE, 15(1): e0227884. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0227884
Mathews, B., & Collin-Vézina, D. (2019). Child sexual abuse: Toward a conceptual nodel and definition. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 20(2), 131-148. https://doi.org/10.1177/1524838017738726
