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Cited by 14Child Abuse and TraumaMaternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and PostpartumMaternal and Perinatal Health Interventions

Maternal Childhood Sexual Trauma and Early Parenting: Prenatal and Postnatal Associations

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Zvara, B. J., Meltzer‐Brody, S., Mills‐Koonce, W. R., Cox, M., The Family Life Project Key Investigators·2017·Infant and Child Development
DOI 10.1002/icd.1991PMC PMC7993621
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Abstract

Existing research suggests that approximately 19% of females experience childhood sexual trauma (CST). Little is known, however, about the parenting behaviour of mothers who have experienced CST. Using propensity‐matched controls, the present study examines prenatal psychosocial distress, postnatal depressive symptomatology, and caregiving behaviours of women reporting CST at or before the age of 14. Data for these analyses were obtained from mother reports and from observational protocols from a longitudinal study of low‐income, rural families. Propensity score methodology was used to create a contrast group matched on family of origin variables in an effort to isolate and examine the long‐term associations of CST beyond the effects of other childhood adversities such as poverty. Study findings provide evidence that women with CST histories report greater prenatal psychosocial distress compared to women without trauma histories. Findings further provide evidence for a spillover process from prenatal distress to the broader caregiving system including less sensitive parenting through postnatal depressive symptoms for women with CST histories. These results highlight the importance of screening for CST and psychosocial distress and depression prenatally. Interventions for women with CST histories and directions for future study are proposed. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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Authors
Zvara, B. J., Meltzer‐Brody, S., Mills‐Koonce, W. R., Cox, M., & The Family Life Project Key Investigators
Affiliations
  • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (US)
  • The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill NC USA
  • The University of North Carolina at Greensboro Greensboro NC USA
Corresponding author
Zvara, B. J.
ORCID
Zvara, B. J.
Venue
Infant and Child Development
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2016-06-10
Volume
26
Issue
3
ISSN
  • 1522-7219 (ISSN-L)
  • 1522-7227
DOI
10.1002/icd.1991
PMC
PMC7993621
OpenAlex
W2415693763
Cited by
14
References
14
Citations by year
2025: 2 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 1
FWCI
0.45
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor (vor)
Locations
  • Infant and Child Development (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (PO1‐HD‐39667)
  • National Institute on Drug Abuse (A12‐0934)
  • National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child Abuse and Trauma
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Obstetrics and Gynecology › Maternal and Perinatal Health Interventions
Keywords
childhood sexual trauma, maternal trauma, early parenting, postpartum depression, parenting sensitivity, spillover effects, trauma screening, maternal mental health

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