Long-term consequences of childhood emotional abuse in mothers on parental load and child mental health

Bibliographic Data

ID21282830
AuthorsKatharina Rost (Universität Ulm, corresponding author), Emily Gossmann (Universität Ulm), Jörg M Fegert (0000-0001-6070-4323, Universität Ulm), Ute Ziegenhain (Universität Ulm), Franziska Köhler‐Dauner (0000-0002-3940-4083, Universität Ulm, corresponding author), Franziska Köhler-Dauner
Year2024
Volume244
Pages104169
Publication date2024-04-01
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueActa Psychologica (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0001-6918 • E-ISSN: 1873-6297
PublisherElsevier BV (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1016/j.actpsy.2024.104169
PMID38341882
OpenAlexW4391731039
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited65

BACKGROUND: Childhood emotional maltreatment can be associated with long-term consequences on mental health. In addition, transgenerational transmission of adverse childhood experiences to the next generation can occur and thus have an impact on the mental health of one's own children. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine the role of stress on the association between childhood emotional maltreatment and parental load what is referred to in this study as limitations in parental functioning that affect the resources available to parents to cope with the demands of raising, caring for, and providing for their child. Furthermore the effect of parental load on the mental health of one's own children will be examined. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: N = 237 mother-child dyads (age mother M = 33.76, SD = 4.07 years; age child M = 11.91 months, SD = 0.89 months) from a longitudinal cohort study were examined at two different measuring points. METHODS: Emotional abuse, perceived stress, parental load and child mental health were assessed using self and external report questionnaires. RESULTS: The calculation of a mediation showed that the association of emotional abuse and parental load was completely mediated by perceived stress (indirect effect ab = 0.44, 95 %-CI[0.17, 0.78]). In addition, effects of parental load on the child's mental health (β = 0.13, 95%CI [0.07;0.20]), mainly hyperactivity (β = 0.06, 95%CI [0.03;0.11]) and prosocial behavior (β = -0.04, 95%CI [-0.07; -0.01]), were evident. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study provide evidence that the mental health of children can be influenced in the long term by increased parental load

Child abuse · Developmental psychology · Medical emergency · Mental health · Poison control · Psychiatry · Psychological abuse · Suicide prevention · Term (time) · Child Abuse and Trauma · Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development · Clinical Psychology · Medicine · Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research · Psychology

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