Secure Base Script Knowledge Mediates The Association Between Parents’ Childhood Adversity And Their Sensitive Parenting

• In Event: Linking Early Life Experiences and Adult Functioning: The Mediating Role of Scripted Attachment Representations

Abstract

Early childhood experiences play an important role in shaping parenting attitudes and behavior. In particular, there is a strong association between exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and subsequent parenting practices (e.g., maltreatment; Chung et al., 2009; Lange et al., 2019; Steele et al., 2016). Less is known, however, about how early adverse experiences such as abuse, neglect, and exposure to other forms of adversity influence later parenting. One potential mechanism is parental mental health problems. Theory and research support a link between depressive symptoms and parental insensitivity to infant cues, with current symptomatology showing particularly strong effects (Lovejoy et al., 2000). A second plausible mechanism is parents’ scripted attachment representation (i.e., secure base script knowledge), which has its origins in childhood and predicts a host of relational correlates throughout the life span, including parent-child relationship quality (Bowlby, 1979). Thus, the current study investigated whether parental depression and secure base script knowledge mediate the association between ACEs and parental sensitivity with one’s own children.
This study leverages data from two samples, including (1) 99 mothers from a suburban community sample participating in a longitudinal investigation of parenting behavior and child psychosocial development, and (2) 200 parents from an urban, low-income community sample participating in a longitudinal effectiveness study of an attachment-based intervention. The combined sample largely self-identified as racial/ethnic minorities (76%; mean age = 29.83 years). Seventy-one percent indicated that they were living below the poverty line and/or receiving public assistance. Parental history of childhood adversity was assessed via the self-report Adverse Childhood Experiences questionnaire (Felitti et al., 1998). Depressive symptoms were assessed via the self-report Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (Radloff, 1977). Secure base script knowledge was measured via the narrative-based Attachment Script Assessment (Waters & Waters, 2006) and parental sensitivity was assessed using the NICHD Observational Record of the Caregiving Environment scales (NICHD 1999, 2003).
Results indicated that increased ACEs was associated with reduced secure base script knowledge (β = -.215, SE = .101, p = .034) and that reduced secure base script knowledge, in turn, was associated with reduced parental sensitivity (β = .365, SE = .082, p < .001). The indirect effect from ACE to parental sensitivity through secure base script knowledge was significant (β = -.078, SE = .038, p = .04). In addition, increased ACEs was associated with increased depressive symptoms (β = .464, SE = .064, p < .0001), but depressive symptoms did not significantly predict parental sensitivity (β = .158, SE = .096, p = .098). As shown in Figure 1, overall model fit was acceptable (χ2(285) = 106.42, p = .06; CFI = .984; RMSEA = 0.29 [90% CI = 0.000 – 0.045]).
Taken together, these results indicate that secure base script knowledge, but not depression, partially explains the link between ACEs and subsequent parenting behavior. These findings are important in advancing our understanding of how childhood experiences are carried forward and influence sensitive parenting. Implications for intervention will be discussed, highlighting secure base script knowledge as a possible intervention target.

Authors

• Christopher Facompre, Stony Brook Unviersity
  Presenting Author

• Or Dagan, Long Island University Post (LIU Post)
  Non-Presenting Author

• Amy Hyoeun Lee, Hofstra University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Kristin L Bernard, Stony Brook University
  Non-Presenting Author