Culture and the intergenerational transmission of substance abuse, woman abuse, and child abuse: A diathesis-stress perspective

Abstract

This manuscript focuses on culture as moderating the transmission of substance abuse and spouse abuse to impact child well-being in families across generations. Within the context of a diathesis-stress model, the authors propose that it is the interaction between particular internal factors, such as biochemical, genetic, and/or psychosocial factors, and external factors that is critical in understanding intergenerational transmission. Based on a review of related literature, the authors suggest a nonlinear dynamic perspective on intergenerational transmission that maintains a presumption of cultural and ethnic “environment” distinctly interacting with genetics and physiology to produce self-reinforcing behaviors that may be passed from one generation to another.