Mothers who were sexually abused during childhood are more likely to have a child victim of sexual violence

"I Was Trying to Be the Mother to Her That I Didn't Have": Mothers' Experiences of Child Sexual Abuse and Intergenerational Maltreatment

Child sexual abuse (CSA) can have lasting negative impacts on one's sense of safety and trust, ultimately affecting the quality of relationships, and increasing the likelihood of future victimization experiences. The present study provides a qualitative description of the themes that were generated through interviews conducted with 23 mothers who experienced CSA (dis)continuity (12 continuity, 11 discontinuity). The mothers described a variety of experiences related to parent-child and romantic relationships and parenting behaviors, which could be further researched and targeted by interventions to reduce the risk of intergenerational cycles of maltreatment.

Narratives of Mothers Whose Children Had Been Sexually Abused: Maternal Reactions and Comprehension Regarding Child and Adolescent Sexual Abuse

Child and adolescent sexual abuse is considered to be a serious public health concern and a devastating form of violence with serious physical, mental, and behavioral consequences in the short and long term. This qualitative study aimed to identify maternal reactions to the disclosure of sexual violence and explore the comprehension regarding child and adolescent sexual abuse held by the mothers of child victims. Twelve mothers were interviewed, whose children had experienced a situation of sexual abuse and were receiving psychosocial care in a municipality in southern region of Brazil. The collected data were organized and analyzed using the principles of Grounded Theory with the Atlas.ti 7.5.7 software. From the analysis of the narratives, three main categories emerged: mothers with positive reactions, mothers with ambivalent reactions, and mothers with negative reactions. Mothers that presented positive reactions believed the report and supported their children, showing a comprehension that sexual abuse can occur in different ways and not only when there is penetration. The participants that had ambivalent reactions oscillated between maintaining or breaking off the relationship with the perpetrator of the violence, expressed initial disbelief regarding the report of the abused child, and had a comprehension that sexual abuse could be a form of affection. Mothers that had a negative reaction to the disclosure of abuse presented a contradictory narrative, minimizing the effects of the violence and placing the victims at fault regarding the abuse suffered. The importance of considering the possible relationships between the maternal comprehensions regarding child and adolescent sexual abuse and the reactions of these mothers during the professional intervention was demonstrated.

Couple and parenting functioning of childhood sexual abuse survivors: a systematic review of the literature (2001-2018)

In this review, 55 unique empirical studies of the impacts of a history of CSA on couple and parenting functioning were identified and analyzed according to assumptions considered in an earlier review. Overall, this current systematic review supported earlier assumptions that CSA survivors would evidence insecure attachments in their adult couple relationships; that CSA survivors would be less likely to marry and more likely to divorce; and that partners would also experience difficulties in relation to their partnership with a CSA survivor. Assumptions about parenting functioning included: that CSA survivors would have different attitudes toward their children; that CSA survivors would function poorly as parents; and that children of CSA survivors would be at increased risk for sexual abuse. Evolutions in the literature since that first review included methodological improvements, as well as the inclusion of male survivors in some studies. More sophisticated statistical modeling allowed for a greater understanding of mediators and moderators in the relationship between CSA and later interpersonal functioning in couple relationships and in parenting. Recommendations for future research and clinical implications were proposed.

Testing the cycle of maltreatment hypothesis: Meta-analytic evidence of the intergenerational transmission of child maltreatment

It has long been claimed that "maltreatment begets maltreatment," that is, a parent's history of maltreatment increases the risk that his or her child will also suffer maltreatment. However, significant methodological concerns have been raised regarding evidence supporting this assertion, with some arguing that the association weakens in samples with higher methodological rigor. In the current study, the intergenerational transmission of maltreatment hypothesis is examined in 142 studies (149 samples; 227,918 dyads) that underwent a methodological quality review, as well as data extraction on a number of potential moderator variables. Results reveal a modest association of intergenerational maltreatment (k = 80; d = 0.45, 95% confidence interval; CI [0.37, 0.54]). Support for the intergenerational transmission of specific maltreatment types was also observed (neglect: k = 13, d = 0.24, 95% CI [0.11, 0.37]; physical abuse: k = 61, d = 0.41, 95% CI [0.33, 0.49]; emotional abuse: k = 18, d = 0.57, 95% CI [0.43, 0.71]; sexual abuse: k = 18, d = 0.39, 95% CI [0.24, 0.55]). Methodological quality only emerged as a significant moderator of the intergenerational transmission of physical abuse, with a weakening of effect sizes as methodological rigor increased. Evidence from this meta-analysis confirms the cycle of maltreatment hypothesis, although effect sizes were modest. Future research should focus on deepening understanding of mechanisms of transmission, as well as identifying protective factors that can effectively break the cycle of maltreatment.

Maternal and Child Sexual Abuse History: An Intergenerational Exploration of Children's Adjustment and Maternal Trauma-Reflective Functioning

Objective: The aim of the current study was to investigate associations, unique and interactive, between mothers’ and children’s histories of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) and children’s psychiatric outcomes using an intergenerational perspective. Further, we were particularly interested in examining whether maternal reflective functioning about their own trauma (T-RF) was associated with a lower likelihood of children’s abuse exposure (among children of CSA-exposed mothers).

Methods: One hundred and eleven children (M_age = 9.53 years; 43 sexual abuse victims) and their mothers (M_age = 37.99; 63 sexual abuse victims) participated in this study. Mothers completed the Parent Development Interview (PDI), which yielded assessments of RF regarding their own experiences of abuse, and also reported on their children’s internalizing and externalizing symptoms.

Results: Children of CSA-exposed mothers were more likely to have experienced CSA. A key result was that among CSA-exposed mothers, higher maternal T-RF regarding their own abuse was associated with lower likelihood of child CSA-exposure. Mothers’ and children’s CSA histories predicted children’s internalizing and externalizing symptoms, such that CSA exposure for mother or child was associated with greater symptomatology in children.

Conclusion: The findings show that the presence of either maternal or child CSA is associated with more child psychological difficulties. Importantly in terms of identifying potential protective factors, maternal T-RF is associated with lower likelihood of CSA exposure in children of CSA-exposed mothers. We discuss these findings in the context of the need for treatments focusing on increasing T-RF in mothers and children in the context of abuse to facilitate adaptation and reduce the intergenerational risk.