Patterns of Risk and Protective Factors in the Intergenerational Cycle of Maltreatment

• NCJ Number: 226016
• Journal: Journal of Family Violence Volume: 24 Issue: 2 Dated: February 2009 Pages: 111-122
• Author(s): Louise Dixon; Kevin Browne; Catherine Hamilton-Giachritsis
• Date Published: February 2009
• Length: 12 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This British study examined differences in parenting styles and risk factors for child maltreatment in the first 13 months of a child’s life for families who initiated (“initiators”), maintained (“maintainers”), or broke (“cycle-breakers”) the intergenerational cycle of child maltreatment compared to control families.

Abstract

Notably, maintainers, cycle-breakers, and maintainers were all differentiated from the control group by an increased prevalence of mental illness, substance dependency, and living with a violent partner. In addition, maintainers and cycle-breakers were also more likely to be young parents. Also, the control group was significantly more likely to demonstrate a majority of positive parenting styles compared to the other three groups. Despite cycle-breakers exhibiting poorer parenting and a greater number of risk factors than controls, they did not abuse their children in the first 13 months after birth. Maintainers were significantly more likely to have feelings of isolation and have serious financial difficulties, suggesting that financial stability and social support could be protective factors for intergenerational child maltreatment. Initiators had a risk profile similar to both maintainers and cycle-breakers in the absence of a parental history of childhood abuse. This suggests that a history of childhood abuse is not the only means of developing a high-risk profile. The factors of being a single parent and having serious financial problems were significantly more prevalent in initiators compared to cycle-breakers. Information was collected for a cohort of 4,351 families with newborn children born between April 1, 1995, and June 30, 1998, who lived in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, England. All of the information for this research was collected by 103 community nurses during home visits to families with newborns as part of the Child Assessment Rating Evaluation program. 3 tables, 1 figure, and 64 references