The contribution of childhood maltreatment of the caregiving dispositions, personal growth, and parenting style

Based on Belsky's model of parenting determinants, the current study aims at examining the contribution of recollection of parental abuse in childhood to the characteristics of the caregiving system and personal growth, which in turn affect mothers parenting style. The study also posits that the link between recollection of childhood abuse and mothers' parenting style (in terms of warmth and acceptance vs. rejection) would mediate by spousal support.

One hundred and nighty eight mothers participated in the study, aged 23-45, who had 1-5 children. They responded to the following questionnaires: Parental Acceptance Rejection Questionnaire (PARQ), Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), Caregiving System Functioning (CSF) questionnaire, Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI), partner support questionnaire, and a demographic questionnaire. Due to the low reports of physical and sexual abuse and physical neglect, the current study focused on emotional abuse (including emotional abuse and emotional neglect as one variable).

The first study hypothesis that there would be a negative association between recollection of childhood abuse and the mother's current parenting style was confirmed. The second hypothesis assuming the association between childhood abuse and the mother's current caregiving system (anxious/avoidant) was partially confirmed only as to anxious caregiving. The third hypothesis assuming association between childhood abuse and personal growth was not confirmed. The fourth hypothesis assuming the association between partner support and the mother's parenting style (maternal warmth) was not confirmed. The fifth hypothesis assuming that partner support would moderate the link between the caregiving system (anxious/avoidant) and maternal warmth, was partially confirmed, only for maternal avoidant caregiving. The mediating assumption that childhood abuse would be linked to the characteristics of the caregiving system, which in turn would be linked to personal growth and would predict maternal parenting (warmth) was confirmed only regarding avoidant caregiving.

The findings highlighted the avoidant caregiving power both as moderator and mediator factor and emphasizes its contribution to maternal parenting as well as her experiencing personal growth.

The research findings may shed light on the consequences of childhood emotional abuse on maternal patenting (warmth); as well as the impact of these experiences upon mothers experiencing personal growth, and being supported by their partners. In the clinical point of view our findings may assist in developing targeted intervention programs for mothers who experienced emotional abuse in their childhood for promoting their benevolent parenting, which might promote personal growth as well.