This secondary data analysis addresses specific questions regarding the pathways by which childhood sexual trauma (CST) experienced by the mother may place her and her children on life course trajectories for maladaptive developmental outcomes. The current study will use a subsample (N = 204) of the Family Life Project (FLP). The subsample is comprised of 105 mothers with childhood sexual trauma (CST) histories and 99 mothers without CST histories and was created using propensity score matching procedures to control for mother's family of origin demographic variables. Given that 19% of women report childhood sexual trauma in the United States, a significant number of children are living in homes with mothers reporting trauma histories making this an important direction for further inquiry. The past three decades have seen an explosion of interest in the long-term consequences of CST and its association with the socioemotional adjustment of survivors and their children. Prior research links CST history with numerous domains of adult interpersonal functioning, including elevated depression and intimate partner violence (IPV), and problems in the parental role. Children of mothers with trauma histories are reported to have a myriad of developmental problems when compared to children of women without trauma history. Despite the growing interest reflected in the literature, there is still much we do not know or understand about the mechanisms by which maternal trauma may be related to the development of the next generation. Our goal is to identify the processes by which maternal CST may be related to key domains of child functioning which have been linked to short- and long-term success in school and beyond: socioemotional and cognitive development. We will examine the stability of depression, IPV, and parenting behavior across early childhood from 6-60months for mothers with and without CST, and examine the developmental outcomes of children as a function of maternal CST history. Our working hypotheses posit that elevated levels of maternal depression and IPV often reported by mothers with CST histories are primary factors influencing parenting behavior and thereby influencing the development of offspring. A major area of innovation include the use of a rich longitudinal dataset that has a comprehensive array of behavioral, caregiving, and ecological measures from age 6 months ? first grade allowing us, perhaps for the first time, to examine the intergenerational transmission of childhood sexual trauma. To our knowledge this is the first study of its kind to test complex longitudinal relations among early adversity and key outcomes in a racially and economically diverse sample.
Relevance to Public Health The consequences of childhood sexual trauma are profound and long lasting. Not only does the victim of abuse suffer as a child, there is mounting evidence that a history of maltreatment places her children at risk for significant physical and mental health problems. Therefore, it is critical to understand the mechanisms by which sexual trauma experienced by the mother in childhood may influence development of the next generation. By identifying specific ways that maternal childhood abuse impacts adjustment in offspring, we may provide critical evidence for developing interventions that mitigate adverse outcomes before they become long-term problems.
