Approval of Parent-Child Aggression as a Mediator of Intergenerational Child Abuse Risk: An Evaluation of Racial Differences

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Abstract Purpose Personal history of parent-child aggression (PCA) can predict future parenting behavior, but some effects may differ between racial groups. Black parents in the U.S. are more likely to encounter discrimination and personally experience and approve of PCA, which may account for previously reported group differences. This study examined whether personal PCA history predicted later parental child abuse risk mediated by PCA approval across the transition to parenthood, and whether effects differed by race. Methods Expectant parents (non-Hispanic White sample: 95 mothers with 86 fathers; Black sample: 94 mothers with 85 fathers) participated in a prospective longitudinal study, assessed prenatally and when children were age 6 mo., 18 mo., and four years. Personal history of PCA was assessed retrospectively, PCA approval was evaluated at each timepoint; and abuse risk was assessed as both theoretical abuse risk (an analog task at all timepoints) and actual PCA use (parents’ report at the final two timepoints). Results Personal PCA history largely predicted PCA approval for Black parents but was inconsistent for White parents. Higher PCA approval predicted abuse risk for both groups but appears to be a more consistent mediator between personal PCA history and abuse risk for Black parents. Conclusions Findings suggest PCA approval may perpetuate the PCA cycle but future work needs to consider differential effects by race, socioeconomic status, and age and identify factors that may account for such differences. Abuse preventions should be more intentionally culturally informed to enhance efficacy for communities of color.