Intergenerational cycle of maltreatment: a popular concept obscured by methodological limitations

Abstract

Objective: The intergenerational transmission of child maltreatment is a controversial subject. Much of existing research is plagued with at least three fundamental weaknesses: (1) using case status to define subjects; (2) adopting a dichotomous perspective that does not consider the reality of maltreatment on various continua; and (3) using operational definitions that fail to differentiate between maltreatment subtypes. We controlled for these problems and examined the structure of child maltreatment and its influence on later parenting practices in an ethnically-diverse community sample. Method: Data from a community sample of parents ( N = 383) were analyzed with a Structural Equation Modeling methodology. Reliable and valid continuous measures of child maltreatment (Child Trauma Questionnaire) and parenting practices (Parental Acceptance and Rejection Questionnaire) were used. Results: Results revealed a moderately strong effect from a general factor of Child Maltreatment to a general factor of Poor Parenting for both mothers and fathers, supporting a common dysfunction transmission process. For mothers, Family Neglect by itself also led to poor parenting, and sexual abuse as a child led to aggressive parenting. For fathers, Child Maltreatment had a different structure, as sexual abuse was distinct from the factors of Family Abuse and Family Neglect. Also, for fathers, sexual abuse led to rejecting parenting practices. Conclusions: This study supports the intergenerational cycle of child maltreatment hypothesis in such a way that several weaknesses in much of existing research were controlled. Clinical implications and potential mechanisms of transmission are discussed.