Disruptions in Intergenerational Childhood Maltreatment for Dual System-Involved Women: Investigating the Protective Role of Parenting

Abstract

Childhood maltreatment is a prevalent and costly public health problem, which confers significant negative mental and physical consequences to the children and families who are affected. Among the negative sequelae of childhood maltreatment is increased risk of one’s own child experiencing maltreatment, a phenomenon called intergenerational child maltreatment continuity. Because the literature demonstrates that many parents who experienced child maltreatment do not continue the cycle of maltreatment with their offspring, this study sought to determine the risk and protective factors within the parenting context that might contribute to greater child maltreatment discontinuity. This dissertation study draws data from an existing prospective, longitudinal study of 147 women who experienced dual-system involvement with both child welfare and juvenile justice as youth. The participants were originally recruited in adolescence for a randomized control trial assessing the effectiveness of the Treatment Foster Care Oregon (TFCO) intervention. Participants reported on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) in adolescence, and on parenting behaviors and developmental expectations for children in a longitudinal follow-up in young adulthood. Child maltreatment continuity was indexed using participant self-report of contact with child welfare throughout young adulthood and official child welfare reports collected at the end of the study. In this sample of dual system-involved women, approximately half displayed maltreatment continuity (48%). On average, women reported experiencing 6.7 ACEs during childhood and adolescence. Participant ACEs were not associated with maltreatment continuity. Contrary to study hypotheses, there was no evidence that harsh parenting or positive, supportive parenting moderated the association between ACEs and child maltreatment continuity. In contrast, parental developmental expectations significantly moderated the association between ACEs and official report of maltreatment continuity, though in the opposite direction as was hypothesized. Given the paucity of literature on rates of child maltreatment continuity and parenting in this unique dual system-involved population, this dissertation study presents valuable preliminary evidence about maltreatment continuity and experiences of early adversity among women with dual system involvement. Study limitations, future directions, and implications are discussed.