Citation

Fenerci RLB, DePrince AP. Child Maltreat. 2018; 23(2): 126-136.

Affiliation

Department of Psychology, University of Denver, Denver, CO, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/1077559517737376

PMID

29092624

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to elucidate possible cognitive mechanisms involved in the intergenerational transmission of trauma from maltreatment-survivor mothers to their toddler/preschool-aged children. This study investigated whether maternal trauma-related cognitions-posttrauma appraisals and disorganized memory for maltreatment-were associated with higher levels of toddler internalizing and externalizing symptoms and more dysfunction in the mother-child relationship. A community sample of mothers with histories of maltreatment and a child between the ages of 2 and 5 years was recruited for a study on maternal attachment, coping, and health ( N = 113). Path analysis results showed that posttrauma appraisals and disorganized memory were significantly related to toddler internalizing symptoms, even with maternal trauma symptoms included in the model. Maternal posttrauma appraisals and disorganized memory were also linked to more dysfunction in the mother-child relationship. These findings provide preliminary evidence in support of maternal trauma-related cognitions as potential mechanisms for the intergenerational transmission of trauma.

Language: en

Keywords

adult survivors; childhood maltreatment; parent–child relationships