Integrating Administrative Data and Retrospective Report to Examine Intergenerational Continuity and Discontinuity of Child Maltreatment

• In Event: Innovations in Child Maltreatment Research: Leveraging Institutional Partnerships to Investigate Intergenerational Transmission Pathways

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Intergenerational trauma remains an under-examined area of research in child maltreatment studies. Intergenerational trauma occurs when effects of trauma are shared through generations without exposure to the originating incident (Hesse & Main, 2000). Multifactorial influences may determine transmission of risk or resilience, including genetic predisposition, learned models of parenting, and cultural perceptions (SAMSHA, 2017). Prior studies suggest potential mediators of this transmission, including maternal psychopathology, depression, or experiences of violence. Such factors may account for the association between maternal maltreatment histories and maternal perpetration of child maltreatment (Thompson, 2006). Regardless of transmission mechanism, it is important to note that only about 30% of children who are abused or severely neglected will later abuse or neglect their own children (Kaufman & Zigler, 1987).

HYPOTHESIS: We hypothesized mothers who self-reported childhood trauma would have higher rates of reported maltreatment than those who did not.

STUDY POPULATION: Mothers were ascertained from obstetrical units and clinics from a large, urban university hospital, with a large majority identifying as African-American women. Approximately 55% of patients report a family income less than $20,000, 65% of the mothers are unemployed, and 95% of the newborns are on Medicaid or are Medicaid-eligible. The overall study is still in progress; data presented are based on a preliminary match to state child maltreatment reporting in the summer of 2021 (n=234).

METHODS: The Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) was used to query individual mothers retrospectively regarding types of childhood trauma exposure. State administrative data were examined for official child maltreatment reports in each case as part of a larger study to examine service utilization and child maltreatment outcomes. Chi-square tests were used to compare maltreatment perpetration among mothers with and without childhood trauma histories. The larger study is not yet finalized and examines the impact of resource uptake on child maltreatment reports using official state administrative data. Furthermore, the larger study utilizes both birth records risk variables and clinical measures, including the CTQ and Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) to examine prediction of risk for maltreatment.

RESULTS: 234 mothers had complete CTQ data. Of these, n=139 had complete CTQ data and were included in the midpoint data match with child maltreatment reports. Mothers who self-reported childhood trauma were more likely to be among those with child maltreatment allegations (30.5%) when compared to those who did not self report personal childhood trauma (8.8%) (X2(138)=9.37, p=.002). Mothers who endorsed 1-2 or 4-5 types of childhood trauma had higher likelihood of allegations as a parent than those endorsing 3 types, but all were higher than the likelihood of maltreatment report if CTQ count was zero. Both CTQ and birth records risk variables individually had correlations (Nonparametric) over .25 with any maltreatment report. Birth records risk variables had correlation of only .15 to CTQ total scores.

IMPLICATIONS: Results suggest that self-reported childhood trauma is associated with later reports of maltreatment perpetration as a parent and may serve as an important screening tool to identify mothers of newborns that would most benefit from early intervention services.

Authors

• Mini Tandon, Washington university school of medicine
  Presenting Author

• Melissa Jonson-Reid, Washington University in St. Louis