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Cited by 4Child Abuse and TraumaChild Welfare and AdoptionChild and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development

Effects of childhood maltreatment on mothers’ empathy and parenting styles in intergenerational transmission

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Kawaguchi, Yuko, Kurata, Sawa, Kawata, Natasha Y. S., Yao, Akiko, Nishitani, Shota, Fujisawa, Takashi X., Tomoda, Akemi·2025·Scientific Reports
DOI 10.1038/s41598-025-92804-0PMC PMC11882814
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Abstract

Understanding the intergenerational transmission of childhood maltreatment (CM) is crucial to prevent its perpetuation to future generations. The literature has revealed parental empathy to be a pivotal factor in this process. Parental empathy is the ability to comprehend and empathetically respond to the emotions and mental states of children; therefore, its impairment may result in challenges in parenting, ultimately contributing to CM. In this study, we explored the factors that undermine empathy and how they alter parenting practices, to uncover the process of intergenerational transmission of CM. To investigate actual instances of CM, a comparative study was conducted between 13 mothers with a history of social interventions owing to CM and 42 mothers in the control group. Path analysis was performed to examine the trajectory from adverse childhood experiences to maltreatment and explore their correlations with variables including affective and cognitive empathy, depressive symptoms, and parenting styles. The results showed that experiences of CM specifically enhanced empathy in the emotional domain in the maltreatment group. Furthermore, heightened empathy in the maltreatment group influenced parenting style mediated by depressive symptoms. These results provide important insights into the intergenerational transmission process in the context of parental empathy.

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  • Evidence suggests involvement of stress-response regulation, neurodevelopmental and emotional processing pathways, and epigenetic remodeling processes in shaping intergenerational outcomes.

    “Evidence suggests involvement of stress-response regulation, neurodevelopmental and emotional processing pathways, and epigenetic remodeling processes in shaping intergenerational outcomes (116–124).”

    From Epigenetic changes associated with multi-generational trauma: characterization, mechanisms, and therapeutics (2026) · cites this paper as [124]

    The Introduction (page unavailable) links cortisol-related stress and empathy to parenting and the intergenerational transmission of maltreatment; it also describes neurobiological influences on empathy. The cited paper does not establish a neurodevelopmental pathway for these outcomes or address epigenetic remodeling, so it supports only part of the attributed claim. (LLM, conf=0.86)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Childhood maltreatment, including abuse and neglect, represents a sustained early-life stressor associated with long-term biological and behavioral changes across generations.

    “Childhood maltreatment, including abuse and neglect, represents a sustained early-life stressor associated with long-term biological and behavioral changes across generations.”

    From Epigenetic changes associated with multi-generational trauma: characterization, mechanisms, and therapeutics (2026) · cites this paper as [124]

    The Introduction and Discussion link childhood maltreatment, including abuse and neglect, to later empathy and parenting behaviors and a potential intergenerational cycle. The Introduction discusses possible cortisol-related effects, but the Results report no significant cortisol difference between the maltreatment and non-maltreatment groups. The paper therefore does not establish long-term biological changes across generations as the sentence implies. (LLM, conf=0.85)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Individuals with histories of maltreatment have demonstrated reduced parental competence, diminished emotional support, and increased harsh or neglectful parenting behaviors.

    “Individuals with histories of maltreatment have demonstrated reduced parental competence, diminished emotional support, and increased harsh or neglectful parenting behaviors (122–124).”

    From Epigenetic changes associated with multi-generational trauma: characterization, mechanisms, and therapeutics (2026) · cites this paper as [124]

    The Introduction (page unavailable) links parents’ childhood maltreatment to difficulties with empathy and a possible cycle of maltreatment. The Discussion (page unavailable) suggests a pathway to abusive behavior, but the Results report no significant between-group differences on the parenting scales. The paper does not establish reduced parental competence or diminished emotional support, so the sentence overstates what it demonstrates. (LLM, conf=0.84)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Elevated personal distress and depressive symptoms in maltreated parents have been associated with dysfunctional caregiving patterns.

    “Elevated personal distress and depressive symptoms in maltreated parents have also been associated with dysfunctional caregiving patterns (124).”

    From Epigenetic changes associated with multi-generational trauma: characterization, mechanisms, and therapeutics (2026) · cites this paper as [124]

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Research works printed but not linked: 2

  1. [30]Akeda, Y. On a framework for measures of empathy: An organizational model of empathy by Davis and a preliminary study of a multidimensional empathy scale (IRI-J). Psychological Report of Sophia University 23, 19–31. 10.11501/3471208 (1999). · DOI
  2. [41]Davis, M. H. A multidimensional approach to individual differences in empathy. J. Pers. Soc. Psychol. 10, 85 (1980).

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Authors
Kawaguchi, Y., Kurata, S., Kawata, N. Y. S., Yao, A., Nishitani, S., Fujisawa, T. X., & Tomoda, A.
Affiliations
  • Kanazawa University (JP)
  • University of Fukui (JP)
Corresponding author
  • Fujisawa, Takashi X.
  • Tomoda, Akemi
ORCID
Venue
Scientific Reports
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2025-03-05
Volume
15
Issue
1
Pages
7787-7787
ISSN
2045-2322 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1038/s41598-025-92804-0
PMC
PMC11882814
OpenAlex
W4408166975
Cited by
4
References
46
Citations by year
2026: 3 · 2025: 1
FWCI
4.73
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Scientific Reports (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Funders
  • AMED (20gk0110052, AT and SN)
  • JSPS KAKENHI Scientific Research (19H00617 and 22H00492, AT, (C) 22K02432 (SK and SN))
  • University of Fukui Research Farm-Firm
  • University of Fukui
  • the Strategic Budget to Realize University Missions
  • Translational Research from the Life Science Innovation Center, University of Fukui
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child Abuse and Trauma
  • Social Sciences › Safety Research › Child Welfare and Adoption
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
Keywords
child abuse, intergenerational transmission, maternal empathy, parenting styles, affective empathy, cognitive empathy, depressive symptoms, mothers, adverse childhood experiences, social intervention
MeSH terms
Adult, Child, Child Abuse, Depression, Emotions, Empathy, Female, Humans, Male, Mother-Child Relations, Mothers, Parenting, Intergenerational Relations, Adult Survivors of Child Abuse

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