The social and economic costs of childhood maltreatment are enormous, often directly impacting the criminal justice system, the social welfare system, and the healthcare system. The estimated economic toll of child abuse in the U.S. in 2007 exceeded $100 billion (Wang & Holton, 2007). Furthermore, many studies demonstrate an association between childhood maltreatment and behavioral problems such as childhood conduct disorder (CD), adult antisocial personality disorder (ASPD), impulsivity, or violent criminal behavior. These observations support the notion that “violence begets violence”, a commonly held belief that is increasingly supported by empirical evidence (Widom, 1989).
