The Cycle of Abuse: Emotional Availability in Resilient and Non-Resilient Mothers with Early Life Maltreatment.
Early adversity
Intergenerational transmission of violence
Mother-child interaction
Physical and sexual abuse
Trauma
Journal
Psychopathology
ISSN: 1423-033X
Titre abrégé: Psychopathology
Pays: Switzerland
ID NLM: 8401537
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
2020
2020
Historique:
received:
01
02
2020
accepted:
02
07
2020
pubmed:
17
9
2020
medline:
14
1
2021
entrez:
16
9
2020
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
Early life maltreatment (ELM) has a high risk of transmission across generations, known as "the cycle of abuse." ELM is also an important risk factor for developing mental disorders, and having a mental disorder increases the risk of child abuse. Both the abuse potential in mothers with ELM and in mothers with a history of mental disorders might be associated with a disturbed mother-child interaction. The current study examined differences in emotional availability between mothers with a history of ELM and previous or current mental disorders (non-resilient), mothers with ELM without mental disorders (resilient), and control mothers without ELM and without mental disorders. Thirty-three non-resilient mothers, 18 resilient mothers, and 37 control mothers and their 5- to 12-year-old children participated in a standardized mother-child interaction task. Videotaped interactions were rated by three independent, trained raters based on the Emotional Availability Scales (EA Scales) and compared between the groups. The non-resilient mothers and their children showed reduced maternal sensitivity, structuring, non-intrusiveness, non-hostility, responsiveness, and involvement compared to the resilient mothers and their children and the control mothers and their children (p = 0.006, ηp2 = 0.12). No differences on any of the EA Scales were found between resilient mothers and control mothers. These deficits in mother-child interaction in non-resilient mothers might contribute to mechanisms that could explain the cycle of abuse. Interestingly, resilient mothers, who did not develop a mental disorder despite having experienced ELM, did not show these deficits. Thus, prevention programs promoting resilience might be a key to break the cycle of abuse.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
BACKGROUND
Early life maltreatment (ELM) has a high risk of transmission across generations, known as "the cycle of abuse." ELM is also an important risk factor for developing mental disorders, and having a mental disorder increases the risk of child abuse. Both the abuse potential in mothers with ELM and in mothers with a history of mental disorders might be associated with a disturbed mother-child interaction.
OBJECTIVE
OBJECTIVE
The current study examined differences in emotional availability between mothers with a history of ELM and previous or current mental disorders (non-resilient), mothers with ELM without mental disorders (resilient), and control mothers without ELM and without mental disorders.
METHODS
METHODS
Thirty-three non-resilient mothers, 18 resilient mothers, and 37 control mothers and their 5- to 12-year-old children participated in a standardized mother-child interaction task. Videotaped interactions were rated by three independent, trained raters based on the Emotional Availability Scales (EA Scales) and compared between the groups.
RESULTS
RESULTS
The non-resilient mothers and their children showed reduced maternal sensitivity, structuring, non-intrusiveness, non-hostility, responsiveness, and involvement compared to the resilient mothers and their children and the control mothers and their children (p = 0.006, ηp2 = 0.12). No differences on any of the EA Scales were found between resilient mothers and control mothers.
CONCLUSIONS
CONCLUSIONS
These deficits in mother-child interaction in non-resilient mothers might contribute to mechanisms that could explain the cycle of abuse. Interestingly, resilient mothers, who did not develop a mental disorder despite having experienced ELM, did not show these deficits. Thus, prevention programs promoting resilience might be a key to break the cycle of abuse.
Identifiants
pubmed: 32937629
pii: 000509904
doi: 10.1159/000509904
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
298-305Informations de copyright
© 2020 S. Karger AG, Basel.