2-174 - Family Trauma and Parenting Processes

Session Type: Paper Symposium

Integrative Statement

Emerging research suggests that family trauma adversely affects child and adult well-being (Smith et al., 2017). However, there is limited research on trauma’s impact on family processes and parenting (Levendosky et al., 2006). This symposium explores trauma and its relation to parenting over different developmental periods and from multiple perspectives.
The first study examined how caregivers’ experiences of adverse childhood experiences (ACE) affected their health and parental self-efficacy. Caregiver ACE scores predicted both higher levels of health problems and lower scores re: parental sense of competence, with caregiver health problems (particularly mental health) partially accounting for the relation between caregiver history of adversity and parental sense of competence.
The second study explored the effects of trauma on women’s health behaviors during pregnancy and birth outcomes. Trauma was related to perinatal health practices, and high father involvement was protective for women with lower levels of trauma. The most severe type of trauma (i.e., abuse) was linked to adverse birth outcomes.
Finally, the Early Head Start Child Welfare study addresses how early parenting was associated with maltreatment. Variable centered analyses show that neglect was associated with detachment and lack of supportiveness, and abuse was associated with intrusiveness and negative regard. These findings will be considered in the context of research and intervention with trauma-affected families.

Sub Unit

• Family Context & Processes

Chair

• Brenda Jones-Harden, University of Maryland

Discussant

• Sarah Enos Watamura, UNIVERSITY OF DENVER

Individual Presentations

• Parent Wellbeing Partially Mediates Effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences on Parenting Self-Efficacy - Presenting Author: Elly Miles, University of Denver; Non-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

• Associations Between Early Parenting and Maltreatment in an Early Head Start Sample - Presenting Author: Rachel Chazan-Cohen, Tufts University; Non-Presenting Author: Catherine Ayoub, Childrens Hospital Boston, Harvard University; Non-Presenting Author: Katherine Paschall, Child Trends; Non-Presenting Author: Adam Von Ende, Boston Children's Hospital

• Perinatal trauma, early parenting, and family processes - Presenting Author: Brenda Jones-Harden, University of Maryland; Non-Presenting Author: Colleen Morrison, James Bell Associates; Non-Presenting Author: Shelby Brown, Towson University