Understanding the relationship between mothers’ childhood exposure to intimate partner violence and current parenting behaviors through adult intimate partner violence: A moderation analysis

Abstract

It is understood that childhood exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV) can contribute directly and indirectly to adult outcomes, including parenting behaviors. To further understand these associations, this study examined the relationship between mothers’ childhood exposure to IPV and their parenting behaviors while using adult IPV as a moderator. The study included a sample of 133 mothers with children who could range in age from 1½- to 5-years. Mothers provided ratings of their childhood exposure to IPV, their adult IPV experiences, and their parenting behaviors. Findings suggested that mothers’ adult IPV experiences moderated significantly the relationship between mothers’ exposure to childhood IPV and their parenting behaviors (i.e., positive parenting, negative/inconsistent parenting, and punitive parenting). These findings suggested that mothers’ childhood exposure to IPV was related to how they parent their young children in the context of mothers’ IPV experiences in their adult relationships. These findings further suggested the importance of preventing children’s exposure to IPV, identifying interventions for mothers who were exposed to IPV in their childhood as well as in their adult relationships, and providing appropriate parenting interventions for these mothers. Such multi-targeted approaches will aid in potentially reducing the rates of intergenerational IPV in families.