Maternal Victimization and Child Traumatic Stress: The Mediating Role of Mothers' Affect

Background and purpose: In the U.S., girls experience child maltreatment at a higher rate than boys, and adult women are at high risk of physical and sexual victimization. Many women who have been victimized during their lifespan develop affect related disorders. Maternal mental health has been identified as a salient factor that contributes to the well-being of children, especially in households experiencing risks such as poverty and child maltreatment. While many studies have documented the role of maternal adult victimization, fewer have examined the impact of maternal childhood victimization on their children’s mental health. Maternal depression has been widely studied but much less is known about other affective issues and how they may impact parenting and child functioning. Children in high-risk families have an increased likelihood of PTS, although the mechanisms underlying this association are not well understood. The current study aims to understand how maternal affective problems may mediate the relationship between maternal childhood and adult victimization and child post-traumatic stress (PTS) by testing the following hypotheses: 1) There is a direct relationship between maternal childhood victimization and child PTS; 2) There is a direct relationship between maternal adult victimization and child PTS; 3) The relationship between maternal childhood victimization and child PTS is mediated by mothers’ affective problems (depression, anxiety, and hostility); 4) The relationship between maternal adult victimization and child PTS is mediated by mothers’ affective problems (depression, anxiety, and hostility).

Methods: Data for analyses come from children and their caregivers participating in the Longitudinal Studies of Child Abuse and Neglect (LONGSCAN). In the current study, only those children with biologically related mothers identified as the primary caregiver were included in analyses (n=384). The relationship between both maternal childhood and adult victimization and their children’s PTS was examined. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to explore the mediating role of maternal depression, anxiety, and hostility.

Results: Twenty percent of the mothers reported a history of childhood victimization and 16% reported adult victimization. Both types of maternal victimization were related to child PTS. The relationship between maternal childhood victimization and child PTS was mediated by maternal anxiety. The association between maternal adult victimization and child PTS was mediated by both depression and anxiety. However, higher maternal anxiety was related to lower child PTS when mothers had a history of childhood or adulthood victimization. Although maternal hostility was strongly associated with both childhood and adult maternal victimization it did not play a mediating role.

Implications: The current study showed that anxiety played a strong role in the relationship between maternal childhood and adult victimization and child PTS. Anxiety disorders are highly prevalent among women and likely impact how mothers approach parenting. While extant literature shows maternal anxiety to have a negative impact on child outcomes, no known studies have specifically examined mothers with a victimization history. In the current study, anxious mothers may be more vigilant about monitoring their children’s safety and well-being, and thus serves as a strength in providing some buffer against child PTS.