Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, Vol 57(1), Feb 2026, 28-36; doi:10.1037/pro0000658
Human trafficking is a problem of increased concern among human rights advocates, service providers, and policymakers. The provision of mental health services is an integral part of intervention efforts and has received increased attention within research literature. In order to better understand the current state of human trafficking research in psychology and other related mental health fields, the authors conducted a content analysis to examine empirical studies related to mental health and well-being published within a 20-year period (2004–2023). The present study examines 102 peer-reviewed empirical studies regarding trafficked individuals. The authors aim to provide a detailed and comprehensive analysis of human trafficking research in mental health with the threefold goal of identifying current gaps in the literature, guiding future research efforts, and demonstrating how the field of psychology can engage in the areas of human trafficking research, prevention, treatment, and advocacy. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved)