Pathways to Breaking the Cycle of Intergenerational Violence in Families: Different Routes, Same Goal

• In Event: Trauma, Justice, and Recovery in Domestic and sexual Violence Contexts

Abstract

This study aims to elucidate how caregivers narrate their experiences of intergenerational physical violence, construct meaning around their present caregiving roles, and identify factors influencing the perpetuation or disruption of violent patterns within families. The study draws on 14 written narratives provided by caregivers who experienced physical maltreatment and exposure to physical intimate partner violence during their childhood. Employing biographical narrative analysis, three distinct pathways emerged from the caregivers' accounts.

Caregivers in the first pathway underscored early, informed decisions to reject violence, actively constructing their identities in opposition to their parents. Notably, these caregivers exhibited very little emotion while narrating their experiences or their decisions to parent differently. The second pathway highlighted the conscious efforts required to break the cycle, with many caregivers engaging in therapeutic interventions to acquire alternative parenting strategies. Emotions were intricately tied to this process, as these caregivers articulated feelings of fear from their childhood and emotional detachment in their current lives. The third pathway encompassed caregivers who perpetuated the cycle of violence, with their narratives focusing on incidents of violence within their current families. They described their responses to their own violent behaviors, often precipitated by stress or a child's challenging behavior, and discussed mechanisms for channeling their aggression, such as striking a wall, rather than inflicting harm on the child.

This research offers valuable insights into caregivers' diverse experiences and strategies for addressing and interrupting the cycle of intergenerational physical violence. The findings highlight the significance of early decision-making and identity formation, the impact of therapeutic interventions and emotional processing, and the challenges encountered by those who perpetuate the cycle. By employing biographical narrative analysis, this study contributes to the field by providing a nuanced understanding of the personal and emotional dimensions of breaking intergenerational cycles of violence, which is crucial for developing targeted interventions.

Authors

• Laura Mielityinen, Faculty of Social Sciences, Tampere University

• Taina Laajasalo, Finnish Institute for Health and Wellfare

• Eija Paavilainen, Tampere University