Childhood maltreatment and adolescent substance abuse are important health issues that have been linked by research and theory for at least 50 years. Considering the intricacies of child maltreatment research, this paper aims to answer the question: which models show the most promise to explain why child maltreatment is a risk indicator for adolescent substance abuse? Models of the mechanisms of this association are reviewed and evaluated in the context of the many complexities of defining and measuring child maltreatment. We offer three recommendations for future research in this area: 1) measures of the severity of child maltreatment should be used where possible; 2) positive childhood relationships should be assessed as a potentially important protective factor; 3) more research should involve system-involved children and adolescents.