Childhood experiences and parenting practices play a crucial role in shaping the emotional development and psychological adjustment of children, particularly those growing up in unique and high-stress environments such as military families. The study investigated childhood maltreatment, parenting styles, and emotional well-being of children from military families in Jaji Cantonment, Kaduna, Nigeria. A cross-sectional survey design was adopted for the study, and a total of 351 participants, aged from 9 to 17 years, were sampled using a purposive sampling technique. Maltreatment and Abuse Questionnaire (CMQ), Parental Authority Questionnaire (PAQ), and Emotional Well-being Scale were used for data collection. Three hypotheses were formulated and tested using simple and multiple regression analysis. Results of hypothesis one revealed that childhood maltreatment significantly influences the emotional well-being of children of military families residing in Jaji military cantonment in Kaduna State, Nigeria. The results of the second hypothesis revealed that parenting styles significantly influence the emotional well-being of children from military families residing in Jaji military cantonment in Kaduna State, Nigeria.

Finally, the results of the third hypothesis showed that Childhood maltreatment and parenting styles jointly predicted emotional well-being of children of military families in Kaduna State, Nigeria. The study concluded that Childhood maltreatment and parenting styles have significant independent and joint influences on the dependent variables, which are the emotional well-being of children from military families residing in Jaji military cantonment in Kaduna State, Nigeria. Therefore, the study recommended that the Nigerian military should integrate child and family welfare policies into its broader personnel management system.

This will ensure a protective environment where children's emotional well-being is safeguarded despite the challenges of military life.