Citation

Walden ED, Hamilton JC, Harrington E, Lopez S, Onofrietti-Magrassi A, Mauricci M, Trevino S, Giuliani N, McIntyre LL. J. Child Adolesc. Trauma 2022; 15(2): 307-317.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2022, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s40653-021-00397-3

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Childhood trauma can lead to lifelong detrimental outcomes. Intergenerational trauma should be considered when supporting healthy parent-child relationships. Research is needed on intergenerational trauma in relation to children's negative life event exposure, which could compound intergenerational trauma. We examined the prevalence of and relations between mother and child traumas in a sample of 88 biological mothers and their preschool-aged children. We coded child negative life events to examine those related to intergenerational trauma.

RESULTS showed that mother traumas and child negative life events were positively associated; subtypes of mothers' traumas (abuse, neglect) and high trauma levels were associated with higher numbers of child negative life events, including those tied to parent trauma. It is necessary to consider how childhood trauma in adults and children is measured, and what analyses can reveal about the intergenerational context, especially considering compounding current, stressful world events. © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

Language: en

Keywords

adult; Trauma; sexual abuse; child; female; child abuse; prevalence; suicide attempt; hospitalization; Mothers; mental disease; questionnaire; mother; autoimmune disease; preschool child; health survey; child sexual abuse; physical abuse; partner violence; Article; Student t test; emotional abuse; tobacco use; childhood trauma; historical trauma; Intergenerational; Preschool