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Cited by 14Child Abuse and TraumaAttachment and Relationship DynamicsPsychoanalysis and Psychopathology Research

Understanding the pathways between mothers’ childhood maltreatment experiences and patterns of insecure attachment with young children via symptoms of depression

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Khan, Maria, Renk, Kimberly·2018·Child Psychiatry & Human Development
DOI 10.1007/s10578-018-0808-6
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Abstract

Although research has suggested that mothers who experienced childhood maltreatment tend to exhibit heightened risk for attachment difficulties with their young children, less is known about the mechanisms underlying this association. Thus, this study examined mothers' symptoms of depression as a mediator in the relationship between mothers' childhood maltreatment experiences and patterns of insecure (i.e., anxious, avoidant, and disorganized) mother-young child attachment. Mothers (N = 146) with children aged 1½-to 5-years provided ratings of their childhood maltreatment experiences, attachment with their young children, and symptoms of depression. Mothers' symptoms of depression mediated significantly the relationship between mothers' childhood maltreatment experiences and patterns of insecure mother-young child attachment. These findings suggested that symptoms of depression in the context of mothers' childhood maltreatment may be related more directly to mother-young child attachment than childhood maltreatment experiences alone. These results demonstrated the importance of promoting trauma-informed parenting interventions for facilitating secure emotional connections between mothers and their young children.

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Crossref · 10.1007/s10578-018-0808-6

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  • Childhood abuse or neglect by a trusted caregiver is linked to patterns of insecure attachment in offspring via symptoms of depression.

    “Childhood experiences of being physically or emotionally abused or neglected or sexually abused by a trusted caregiver increase the likelihood that an individual will develop SUDs (18, 19), and have been linked to patterns of insecure attachment in offspring via symptoms of depression (20).”

    From Mothering, Substance Use Disorders and Intergenerational Trauma Transmission: An Attachment-Based Perspective (2019) · cites this paper as [20]

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Authors
Khan, M., & Renk, K.
Affiliations
University of Central Florida (US)
Corresponding author
Renk, Kimberly
ORCID
Venue
Child Psychiatry & Human Development
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2018-05-11
Volume
49
Issue
6
Pages
928-940
ISSN
  • 0009-398X (ISSN-L)
  • 1573-3327
DOI
10.1007/s10578-018-0808-6
OpenAlex
W2801315114
Cited by
14
References
9
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 1 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 3
FWCI
2.06
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
Locations
  • Child Psychiatry & Human Development (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Journal of International Crisis and Risk Communication Research (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child Abuse and Trauma
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Attachment and Relationship Dynamics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychoanalysis and Psychopathology Research
Keywords
child abuse, maternal depression, insecure attachment, attachment anxiety, attachment avoidance, disorganized attachment, mediation, trauma-informed parenting, early childhood
MeSH terms
Adult, Child, Preschool, Depression, Emotions, Female, Humans, Infant, Male, Mother-Child Relations, Mothers, Object Attachment, Child of Impaired Parents, Adult Survivors of Child Abuse

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