The Impact of Caregivers' Experiences of Child Sexual Abuse on Parenting Practices: Examination of the Moderating Role of Connection to Culture and Social Support.

Abstract

This study drew on the resilience perspective to investigate whether connection to culture and social support moderated the relationship between Indigenous caregivers' history of child sexual abuse (CSA) victimization and outcomes critical to child development (i.e. caregivers' parenting practices). Participants were 119 Indigenous caregivers in the Northern Great Plains region in the U.S. The study found that social support was associated with aspects of parenting practices and that connection to culture was a significant moderator. These findings highlight the protective role of connection to culture in mitigating potentially negative effects of CSA on parenting practices, particularly within Indigenous communities. The results also underscore the importance of recognizing and drawing on cultural strengths in interventions designed to support survivors of CSA.