Parent Wellbeing Partially Mediates Effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences on Parenting Self-Efficacy

• In Event: 2-174 - Family Trauma and Parenting Processes

Integrative Statement

Parenting self-efficacy has been linked with important outcomes for offspring including improved sleep quality (Heerman, Taylor, Wallston, & Barkin, 2017), improved behavior (Coleman & Karraker, 2003), and better peer relationships (Secer, Gulay Ogelman, Onder, & Berengi, 2012). However, parental self-efficacy can be compromised by depression (Doudna, 2012) and anxiety (Wernard, Kunseler, Oosterman, Beekman, & Schuengel, 2013). It is also well-documented that caregiver history of adversity increases risk for mental health problems (Dube, Felitti, Dong, Giles, & Anda, 2003) and stress-related illness (Felitti et al., 1998). However, very little work examines relations between caregiver history of maltreatment and parenting self-efficacy. One recent study suggests mental health can moderate the association between maltreatment and parental self-efficacy (Martinez-Torteya, Katsonga-Phiri, Rosenblum, Hamilton, & Muzik, 2018). The present study examines the relations among history of adversity, mental and physical health, and parental self-efficacy. We hypothesized that compromised caregiver health would partially mediate effects of adversity on parental self-efficacy.

Methods: Data were collected from Early Head Start parents (n=139), predominantly Latina mothers (71%), ages 18-49 (M=30.9). Average net income was $22,707. Caregivers reported 2.6 Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE; Felitti et al., 1998; Range=0-9), a Parenting Sense of Competence score of 30.9 (PSOC; Gibaud-Wallson & Wandersman, 1978; Range=18-49), a Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale score of 12.2 (CESD; Radloff, 1977; Range=0-51), and a Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 score of 5.6 (GAD7; Spitzer, Kroenke, Williams, & Löwe, 2006); Range=0-20). Reported health conditions were: allergies (20%), chronic conditions (15%), smoking (11%), asthma (11%), antipsychotic, antidepressant, or sedative use (10%), and metabolic or cardiovascular disease (8%). A Health Problem Composite score included GAD7, CESD, and health conditions (M=18.6, Range=0-70). Hierarchical linear regression analyses tested relations among ACE, PSOC, and Health Problems controlling maternal age and family income. Mediation analyses tested whether the Health Problem Composite mediated relations between ACE and PSOC. Follow-up analyses tested contributions of physical and mental health separately.

Results: Each of the key predictors explained variance above the maternal age and income. ACE score predicted Health Problems (F(3, 133)=9.43,p< .001, Adjusted R2=.157, R2 Change=.15), and PSOC, (F(3, 133)=8.92,p< .001, Adjusted R2=.149, R2 Change=.13), and the Health Problem score predicted PSOC (F(3, 133)=7.71,p< .001, Adjusted R2=.129, R2 Change=.11). Next, mediation analyses (PROCESS) revealed evidence of partial mediation of ACE score effects on parental self-efficacy via Health Problems (effect size -.195, 95% CI -0.3575, -0.0561). Follow-up analyses testing indirect effects with physical and mental health simultaneously tested as possible mediators found that mental health accounted for the indirect effect of Health Problems, (effect size -.156, 95% CI -.3336, -.0269).

Conclusion: Caregiver ACE scores predicted both higher Health Problem Composite scores and lower PSOC scores. Evidence for partial mediation emerged, with caregiver health problems (particularly mental health) partially accounting for the relation between caregiver history of adversity and PSOC. Thus, caregiver history of adversity can lower later sense of parenting competence via altered caregiver wellbeing, in particular compromised mental health. Implications for intervention among Early Head Start parents will be discussed.

Authors

• Elly Miles, University of Denver
  Presenting Author

• Eliana Hurwich-Reiss, University of California San Diego
  Non-Presenting Author

• Lisa J. Schlueter, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Sabin Research Institute
  Non-Presenting Author

• Sarah Enos Watamura, UNIVERSITY OF DENVER
  Non-Presenting Author