Trauma Exposure, PTSD, and Parenting in a Community Sample of Low-Income, Predominantly African American Mothers and Children

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Dorthie Cross, Georgia Southern University; L. Alexander Vance, Emory University; Ye Ji Kim, Emory University; Andrew L. Ruchard, University of Denver; Nathan Fox, University of Maryland; Tanja Jovanovic, Emory University; Bekh Bradley-Davino, Emory University
• Language: English
• Date: 2018-05-01
• Publisher: American Psychological Association
• Publication Version: Author Accepted Manuscript (After Peer Review)
• Copyright Statement: © 2017 American Psychological Association.
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/tra0000264
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy
• ISSN: 1942-9681
• Volume: 10
• Issue: 3
• Start Page: 327
• End Page: 335
• Grant/Funding Information: This work was supported by the National Institutes of Health (HD071982; MH100122); and by the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation (NARSAD).
• Keywords: intergenerational risk; Life Sciences & Biomedicine; VIOLENCE; Psychiatry; POSTTRAUMATIC-STRESS-DISORDER; WAR-ZONE; CHILDHOOD; SYMPTOMS; RISK; INTERGENERATIONAL TRANSMISSION; Social Sciences; trauma; parenting; children; PTSD; PHYSICAL ABUSE; Psychology; Psychology, Clinical; MALTREATMENT; Science & Technology; EVENTS
• Research Categories: Psychology, Behavioral; Psychology, Social; Psychology, Clinical

Abstract

Objectives: Trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are associated with problematic parenting and incidence of trauma and PTSD in children of affected parents. In communities impacted by frequent trauma, parenting may be particularly important to children's PTSD risk. The authors examined relationships among maternal and child trauma and mental health, as well as problematic parenting. Method: The authors recruited 112 mother- child dyads (50 girls, 62 boys; ages 8-12 years old) from a community sample of low-income, primarily African American families. They examined rates of trauma exposure and PTSD symptoms in mothers and children, the association of maternal trauma and PTSD with self-reported child abuse potential and parenting stress (i.e., parental distress, dysfunctional parent- child interactions, and perceived child difficulty), and the impact of maternal trauma, PTSD, and parenting on child trauma and PTSD. Results: Rates of trauma and PTSD symptoms were relatively high for mothers and children and included community and family violence. Maternal trauma and PTSD predicted child abuse potential, but only maternal PTSD predicted parental distress. Neither maternal trauma nor PTSD predicted parent-reported dysfunctional parent- child interactions or child difficulty. Maternal child abuse potential and child self-reported trauma, but not maternal trauma or PTSD, significantly predicted child self-reported PTSD. Parenting stress was not associated with child PTSD. Conclusions: Trauma and PTSD in parents may impact parental distress and child abuse potential, potentially increasing children's risk for not only the experience of child abuse, but also PTSD. Child and family interventions should consider child and parental trauma and PTSD as important factors to address.