Childhood maltreatment (CM) has long been recognized as a risk factor for good intimate relationships. Research on the effects of CM on relationship functioning has focused on sexual abuse in girls. However, CM also includes emotional and physical abuse and neglect and is also common in boys. Moreover, prior research has mostly focused on individuals in isolation, ignoring that marriage is a system in which two partners mutually influence each other. Questions also remain about mediating and protective factors for healthy relationships in the context of CM. This article reviews the literature on the link between different forms of CM and one’s own and one’s partner relationship quality. It reviews 43 empirical studies that assessed associations between CM in any form and relationship quality. Also, mediating and protective factors and major methodological topics are examined. The review indicated that CM (neglect, sexual, emotional, or physical abuse) is associated with lower relationship quality in men and women. Psychological distress, cognitive and behavioral problems, insecure attachment, and self-dysregulation were identified as mediating factors. Protective processes involve good coping strategies, emotion regulation, parental support, and early secure attachment, but not partner characteristics. The results regarding gender are inconclusive. It is crucial to broaden the research on the dyadic effects of CM of various forms on relationship quality and study mediating and protective factors. More studies on neglect and diverse populations are needed, as well as prospective studies. This will enable the development of prevention programs for couples with a partner exposed to CM.

长期以来，儿童虐待 (CM) 一直被认为是良好亲密关系的风险因素。关于 CM 对关系功能影响的研究主要集中在女孩的性虐待上。然而，CM 还包括情感和身体上的虐待和忽视，并且在男孩中也很常见。此外，先前的研究大多集中在孤立的个人身上，而忽略了婚姻是一个两个伴侣相互影响的系统。在 CM 的背景下，关于健康关系的中介和保护因素也仍然存在问题。本文回顾了关于不同形式的 CM 与自己和伴侣关系质量之间联系的文献。它回顾了 43 项实证研究，这些研究评估了任何形式的 CM 与关系质量之间的关联。还，审查了调解和保护因素以及主要的方法论主题。审查表明，CM（忽视、性、情感或身体虐待）与男性和女性较低的关系质量有关。心理压力、认知和行为问题、不安全依恋和自我失调被确定为中介因素。保护过程涉及良好的应对策略、情绪调节、父母支持和早期安全依恋，但不包括伴侣特征。关于性别的结果尚无定论。扩大对各种形式的CM对关系质量的二元效应的研究以及研究中介和保护因素至关重要。需要更多关于忽视和不同人群的研究，以及前瞻性研究。