Mechanisms in the intergenerational effect of maternal childhood maltreatment on offspring externalizing symptoms: The role of maternal and paternal parenting.

Background: Although maternal childhood maltreatment has been associated with offspring externalizing symptoms, little is known about the potential mechanisms that contribute to breaking the intergenerational effect of maternal childhood maltreatment.

Objective: The current study aimed to (a) investigate the intergenerational effect between maternal childhood maltreatment and offspring externalizing symptoms in the Chinese family; (b) examine maternal supportive and harsh parenting as potential mediators of this intergenerational effect; and (c) explore the moderating roles of paternal support parenting, as well as paternal harsh parenting, in this mediation process of maternal supportive and harsh parenting.

Participants And Setting: The sample consisted of 1111 mother-father-child triads from Beijing, recruited when the children were one and three years old.

Methods: Mothers completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, and both parents completed the Infant-Toddler Social and Emotional Assessment and Comprehensive Early Childhood Parenting Scale.

Results: Our results showed that maternal childhood maltreatment was a risk factor for offspring externalizing symptoms at T2 (β = 0.24, t = 6.51, p < .001), and this effect was mediated by maternal supportive (indirect effect = 0.03, 95%CI = [0.02, 0.05]) and harsh parenting (indirect effect = 0.03, 95%CI = [0.02, 0.07]) at T1. Furthermore, paternal harsh parenting moderated the indirect effect of maternal childhood maltreatment on child externalizing symptoms through maternal supportive parenting.

Conclusions: These findings contribute to our understanding and provide valuable information for disrupting the intergenerational effect of maternal childhood maltreatment.