The Effect of Maternal Impulsivity on Adolescent Externalizing Behaviors: Roles of Psychological Maltreatment and Parent's Relationship

Background: Adolescent externalizing behavior, as a manifestation of the lack of self-control, could be a critical indicator of later substance use and criminal behaviors. Impulsivity is considered a lack of self-control and is known to be transmitted intergenerationally: maternal impulsivity might have a negative influence on child self-control, which might be linked to higher externalizing behaviors. Also, a substantial body of research demonstrated the significant roles of maltreatment experience and parental relationships in adolescents’ externalizing behavior. Therefore, mothers who have higher impulsivity are more likely to maltreat their children and to have lower-quality couple relationships, which could lead to externalizing behaviors. However, relatively little research has examined the link between maternal impulsivity and adolescent child externalizing behavior, considering the mediating roles of psychological maltreatment and parental relationships. To fill the gap in the previous research, this study aimed to examine the effect of maternal impulsivity on adolescent child externalizing behavior via psychological maltreatment and parental relationships.

Methods: This study examined 760 mother-child (55% boys and 45% girls) dyads from the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study (FFCWS), a large-scale longitudinal study in the US. Maternal impulsivity was assessed using four items from Dickman impulsivity scale at child age 3. Adolescent externalizing behavior was measured with the Child Behavior Checklist at age 15. Psychological maltreatment was assessed with five items from the Conflict Tactics Scales Parent-Child and parental relationship was measured with mother-reported four items at age 9. Using MPlus, this study investigated the mediation effects of psychological maltreatment and parental relationship in the association between maternal impulsivity and adolescent child externalizing behavior. Child sex, maternal education, maternal depression (age 15), and school climate (age 15) were included as covariates.

Results: The analyzed model fit data properly (CFI = .99, RMSEA = .05, SRMR = .02). The results revealed a significant indirect effect of maternal impulsivity on adolescent externalizing behavior through psychological maltreatment or parental relationships. Also, the direct effect of maternal impulsivity on adolescent externalizing behavior in the presence of the mediators was not significant, which means full mediation of psychological maltreatment (β = .018, 95% CI [.002, 0.047]) or parental relationship (β = .010, 95% CI [.002, .031]) on the association between maternal impulsivity and adolescent externalizing behavior. Fewer maternal education years, maternal depression, and a worse school climate were found to be associated with higher externalizing behavior.

Implications: This study demonstrated the mediating effect of psychological maltreatment and parental relationship in the association between maternal impulsivity and adolescent externalizing behavior. Given the negative intergenerational impact of maternal impulsivity and the harmful effect of adolescent externalizing behavior on later development, this study shed light on the need for social work interventions that support appropriate parenting and parental relationships among mothers with high impulsivity to reduce adolescent behavioral problems.