The Role of Psychopathology and Emotion Regulation in the Intergenerational Transmission of Childhood Abuse: A Family Study

Previous studies have shown that parents with a history of childhood abuse are at increased risk of perpetrating child abuse. To break the cycle of childhood abuse we need to better understand the mechanisms that play a role. In a cross-sectional extended family design including three generations (N...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Child maltreatment 2025-02, Vol.30 (1), p.82-94
Main Authors: Nimphy, Cosima A., Kullberg, Marie-Louise J., Pittner, Katharina, Buisman, Renate, van den Berg, Lisa, Alink, Lenneke, Bakermans-Kranenburg, Marian, Elzinga, Bernet M., Tollenaar, Marieke
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
abuse
Adult
Adult Survivors of Child Abuse - psychology
Child
Child abuse & neglect
Child Abuse - psychology
Childhood
Children
Cross-Sectional Studies
emotion regulation
Emotional Regulation
Emotions
Extended family
Externalizing problems
Female
Female roles
History
Humans
Intergenerational Relations
Intergenerational relationships
Intergenerational transmission
Internalization
Male
Middle Aged
Parents & parenting
Parents - psychology
Psychology
Psychopathology
psykologi
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Summary:Previous studies have shown that parents with a history of childhood abuse are at increased risk of perpetrating child abuse. To break the cycle of childhood abuse we need to better understand the mechanisms that play a role. In a cross-sectional extended family design including three generations (N = 250, 59% female), we examined the possible mediating role of parental psychopathology and emotion regulation in the association between a history of childhood abuse and perpetrating child abuse. Parents’ own history of childhood abuse was associated with perpetrating abuse toward their children, and externalizing (but not internalizing) problems partially mediated this association statistically. Implicit and explicit emotion regulation were not associated with experienced or perpetrated abuse. Findings did not differ across fathers and mothers. Findings underline the importance of (early) treatment of externalizing problems in parents with a history of childhood abuse, to possibly prevent the transmission of child abuse.
ISSN:1077-5595
1552-6119
1552-6119
DOI:10.1177/10775595231223657