Exploring the Relationship Between Youth Arrests and ACEs with Parenting Outcomes of Black Mothers

• In Event: Lightning Talk: Women, Parenting, Families, & Criminal Justice

Abstract

Background: Various studies have found one-third to two-thirds of justice-involved youth have experienced some form of child maltreatment. While research supports associations between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and involvement with justice systems, less attention has been paid to assessing how these experiences may influence later parenting.
Study aim: This study explores whether the number of ACEs is associated with later parenting characteristics (distress and emotional competence) among Black mothers (N=377) reported to child protective services (CPS). Youth arrests are measured separately to determine if this type of childhood adversity independently influences parenting as an adult.
Methods: The study uses OLS regression to explore the relationships above, controlling for sociodemographic characteristics.
Results: Mothers with youth arrest experiences (21%) reported higher numbers of ACEs compared to those without arrest records. Youth arrests were not associated with either parenting outcome, although a greater number of other ACEs predicted both parenting outcomes in the expected direction.
Conclusion: Evidence from this study contributes to understanding whether ACEs, including youth arrests, influence parenting as an adult. Existing research demonstrates high levels of trauma among justice-involved girls. However, there’s more to learn about the mechanisms linking early trauma to youth justice system involvement and later parenting outcomes.

Authors

• Evelyn Joy Coker, University of Wisconsin-Madison

• Kristen Slack, University of Wisconsin-Madison