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. 2024;15(1):2355757.
doi: 10.1080/20008066.2024.2355757. Epub 2024 May 29.

Do multigenerational homes moderate the intergenerational transmission of maternal adverse childhood experiences?

Yantong Zhu  1 , Gengli Zhang  1 , Shuwei Zhan  2 , Dandan Jiao  3 , Tokie Anme  4
Affiliations

Do multigenerational homes moderate the intergenerational transmission of maternal adverse childhood experiences?

Yantong Zhu et al. Eur J Psychotraumatol. 2024.

Abstract
in English, Spanish

ABSTRACTBackground: Maternal adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) may lead to increased behavioural problems in children. However, the mediating roles of psychological distress and corporal punishment, two common mechanisms underlying the intergenerational transmission of maternal ACEs, in these relations have not been examined in Chinese samples. Multigenerational homes (MGH) are the dominate living arrangement in China; however, limited research focuses on the effects of MGHs on the intergenerational transmission of maternal ACEs.Objective: This study explored the parallel mediating effects of corporal punishment and psychological distress on the association between maternal ACEs and children's behaviour and whether MGHs can strengthen or weaken the relationship between maternal ACEs and corporal punishment or psychological distress.Participants and setting: Participants were 643 three-year-old children and their mothers (mean age of 32.85 years, SD = 3.79) from Wuhu, China.Methods: Mothers completed online questionnaires measuring ACEs, psychological distress, corporal punishment, their family structure, and children's behavioural problems. This study used a moderated mediation model.Results: The findings suggest that psychological distress and corporal punishment mediate the association between maternal ACEs and children's behavioural problems. The mediating role of corporal punishment was found depend on whether mothers and their children reside in MGHs. MGHs were not found to have a moderating role in the indirect relationship between maternal ACEs and children's behaviour problems via psychological distress.Conclusion: Our findings highlight the importance of addressing psychological distress and corporal punishment when designing interventions targeted Chinese mothers exposed to ACEs and their children, especially those living in MGHs.

Antecedentes: Las experiencias adversas maternas infantiles (ACEs en su sigla en inglés) conlleva a un incremento de los problemas conductuales en los niños. Sin embargo, los roles mediadores del estrés psicológico y el castigo corporal, dos mecanismos subyacentes comunes en la transmisión intergeneracional de las ACEs maternas, en estas relaciones no han sido estudiados en muestras chinas. Los hogares multigeneracionales (MGHs en su sigla en inglés) son el arreglo de vivienda dominante en China; sin embargo, la investigación enfocada en los efectos de los MGHs en la transmisión intergeneracional de las ACEs maternas es limitada.

Objetivo: Este estudio exploró los efectos mediadores paralelos del castigo corporal y del estrés psicológico en la asociación entre ACEs maternas y conducta infantil, y si los MGHs pueden aumentar o disminuir la relación entre las ACEs maternas y el castigo coporal o el estrés psicológico.

Participantes y contexto: Los participantes fueron 643 niños de 3 años y sus madres (edad promedio 32.85 años, DE = 3.79) de Wuhu, China.

Método: Las madres completaron cuestionarios en línea que medían ACEs, estrés psicológico, castigo corporal, estructura familiar y problemas conductuales infantiles. Este estudio usó un modelo de mediación moderada.

Resultados: Los hallazgos sugieren que el estrés psicológico y el castigo corporal median la asociación entre ACEs maternas y problemas conductuales infantiles. El rol mediador del castigo corporal se encontró dependiendo de si las madres y sus hijos residían en MGHs. MGHs no moderaron la relación indirecta entre ACEs maternas y problemas conductuales infantiles mediante el estrés psicológico.

Conclusión: Nuestros resultados enfatizan la importancia de abordar el estrés psicológico y el castigo corporal a la hora de diseñar intervenciones dirigidas a madres chinas expuestas a ACEs y sus hijos, especialmente a aquellos viviendo en MGHs.

Keywords: Experiencias adversas infantiles de la madre; Maternal adverse childhood experiences; behavioural problems; castigo corporal; corporal punishment; estrés psicológico; hogares multigeneracionales; multigenerational homes; problemas conductuales; psychological distress.

Plain language summary

Psychological distress and corporal punishment have parallel mediating roles in the associations between maternal adverse childhood experiences and offspring behavioural problems.Mothers with more adverse childhood experiences and in multigenerational homes were more likely to use corporal punishment.Multigenerational homes did not moderate the indirect relationship via psychological distress.

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Conflict of interest statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Moderated mediation model (Model 7 by Hayes, 2018).
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Multigenerational homes as a moderator of the relationship between maternal adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and corporal punishment.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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