Intergenerational transmission of internalising and externalising behaviours across three generations: Gender‐specific pathways

Abstract

Background Few studies have examined gender specific pathways in the intergenerational transmission of internalizing and externalizing behaviours across three generations. Aims The current study considered both parental figures’ internalizing and externalizing symptoms simultaneously and tested path models of the transmission of internalizing and externalizing symptoms from Generation 1 (G1) to Generation 2 (G2) and from G2 to Generation 3 (G3) by focussing on gender-specific pathways. Methods This study used data from the Oregon Youth Study of 206 young men and two associated studies of their intimate partners (Couples Study) and children (Three Generational Study) over 20 years. Results Findings indicated that, in general, mothers’ internalizing behaviour showed robust influence on offspring’s internalizing symptoms across three generations, regardless of gender of the child. G2 men’s externalizing behaviour was further predicted by G1 mothers’ internalizing as well as externalizing behaviour, albeit the latter was only marginally significant. G3 girls’ internalizing and externalizing behaviour was predicted by their fathers’ corresponding behaviour. Overall, fathers’ influence on their sons was limited. Conclusions The findings shed important light on potential gender-specific mechanisms of intergenerational transmission of internalizing and externalizing behaviour.

Intergenerational Relations for Drinking Motives: Invariant for Same- and Opposite-Sex Parent-Child Dyads?

“…For example, Kim et al (2009) reported on sex specifi city of transmission from parent to child for internalizing and externalizing problems. Proposed explanations for such differences in the sex specifi city of these intergenerational patterns have included both dispositional variables (e.g., sex differences in biological factors) and socialization factors (same-sex role modeling and social learning of sexappropriate cognitive scripts).…”

Could scale-up of parenting programmes improve child disruptive behaviour and reduce social inequalities? Using individual participant data meta-analysis to establish for whom programmes are effective and cost-effective

“…UK birth cohort data, Ermisch 8 and Kelly et al 38 ). Prospective studies 39,40 of high-risk samples support the hypothesis that poor parenting mediates intergenerational transmission of adverse child outcomes. Furthermore, UK cohort analyses suggest that social inequalities in both child and parent mental health appear to be widening over time.…”

Methodological Concerns in the Study of Intergenerational Transmission of Criminal Behavior and Children of Incarcerated Parents

“…Of the studies reviewed in this article most only had a few hundred subjects in the data sets used to analyze intergenerational transmission. For example, the Sampson and Laub study had 480 subjects and their fathers, the Ohio Life-Course study had 254 boys and girls total, and the Oregon Youth Study had 206 boys and their families [29,27,35]. Not only were many of the sample sizes small but they often lacked the use of a control group and randomization.…”

“…Kim et al [35] examined gender specific pathways in intergenerational transmission of internalizing and externalizing behaviors. The behaviors where examined over three generations and the results showed that mothers internalizing behavior heavily influenced her offspring regardless of gender.…”