@article{ref1,
title="Dissociation links maternal history of childhood abuse to impaired parenting",
journal="Journal of trauma and dissociation",
year="2021",
author="Williams, Katharina and Moehler, Eva and Kaess, Michael and Resch, Franz and Fuchs, Anna",
volume="ePub",
number="ePub",
pages="ePub-ePub",
abstract="The present study investigated dissociation as a predictor of parenting and a potential mediator in the relationship between early life maltreatment (ELM) and impaired parenting. Mothers reporting moderate to severe sexual and/or physical abuse (assessed with the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire) formed the maltreatment group (n = 58; MG) and were compared to a non-maltreated comparison group (n = 61; CG) 5 months (T1) and 12 months (T2) postpartum. Dissociative symptoms were assessed with the Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES) at T1. Parenting was investigated by self-report questionnaires and behavior observation (Emotional Availability Scales; EA) at T2. Higher dissociation scores significantly predicted more self-reported parental bonding impairment and stress, higher physical abuse risk and less observed maternal sensitivity, non-intrusiveness and a lower total EA-score during mother-child interactions (p < .001 to p < .05). Dissociation mediated the associations between ELM and self-reported parenting, but not the associations between ELM and parenting as observed during mother-child interactions. Our results suggest that maternal dissociative symptoms play a distinct role in the intergenerational transmission of adverse childhood experiences and should therefore be targeted in therapeutic interventions provided for victims of physical/sexual childhood abuse and in preventive family programs.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1529-9732",
doi="10.1080/15299732.2021.1934938",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15299732.2021.1934938"
}