Intergenerational transmission of child maltreatment using a multi-informant multi-generation family design

Abstract

In the current study a three-generational design was used to investigate intergenerational transmission of child maltreatment (ITCM) using multiple sources of information on child maltreatment: mothers, fathers and children. A total of 395 individuals from 63 families reported on maltreatment. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was used to combine data from mother, father and child about maltreatment that the child had experienced. This established components reflecting the convergent as well as the unique reports of father, mother and child on the occurrence of maltreatment. Next, we tested ITCM using the multi-informant approach and compared the results to those of two more common approaches: ITCM based on one reporter and ITCM based on different reporters from each generation. Results of our multi-informant approach showed that a component reflecting convergence between mother, father, and child reports explained most of the variance in experienced maltreatment. For abuse, intergenerational transmission was consistently found across approaches. In contrast, intergenerational transmission of neglect was only found using the perspective of a single reporter, indicating that transmission of neglect might be driven by reporter effects. In conclusion, the present results suggest that including multiple informants may be necessary to obtain more valid estimates of ITCM.

Aspects of Parent–Child Interaction from Infancy to Late Adolescence are Associated with Severity of Childhood Maltreatment through Age 18

“…Infancy to Age 18: Severity of childhood maltreatment. As recommended by recent studies [49,50], overall severity of CM from infancy to age 18 was coded from multi-method indices of maltreatment that included documented CPS involvement, young-adult reported abuse, and coder-rated extent of maltreatment experiences derived from Adult Attachment Interviews (AAIs) administered in late adolescence. The overall severity of maltreatment rating (7-point scale) was generated by reviewing the following measures collected over the course of a 20 year study: (1) state protective services involvement or placement in foster care between 0 and 18 years; (2) adolescent reports of abuse on the Conflict Tactics Scale-2nd version (CTS-2; [51]); (3) adolescent reports of abuse on the Traumatic Stress Schedule (TSS; [52]); and (4) coder ratings of the extent of maltreatment revealed on the Adult Attachment Interview, coded by the Childhood Traumatic Experiences Scales-Revised (CTES-R; [53]).…”

Not the Root of the Problem—Hair Cortisol and Cortisone Do Not Mediate the Effect of Child Maltreatment on Body Mass Index

“…The sample of the current study was drawn from the Dutch 3G Parenting Study that investigates intergenerational transmission of parenting styles, stress and emotion regulation using a multigenerational design (for details see 59,60).…”

Recognition of children’s emotional facial expressions among mothers reporting a history of childhood maltreatment

“…One of the most documented risk factors for child maltreatment is the caregiver's own history of maltreatment during childhood [23,24]. Parents who experienced abuse or neglect during their childhood are more likely to perpetrate maltreatment themselves [25][26][27].…”