Searching for Angels: The Impact of Parents’ Positive and Traumatic Childhood Experiences on the Parent-Child Relationship

Abstract

The present study assessed potential risk and protective factors that influence the parent-child relationship, inspired by the “angels in the nursery” theory of intergenerational maltreatment prevention and treatment (Lieberman, Padrón, et al., 2005). In a sample of 195 mothers and fathers of toddler-aged children, parents completed a series of self-report measures, were randomly selected to write a brief essay regarding either a positive childhood memory or a control prompt, and then were asked to share how they would respond to scenarios where their child is showing distress. Results indicated parents’ experiences of childhood maltreatment were positively related to parent-child conflict and negatively related to parent-child closeness with their own child. Parents’ positive childhood experiences did not significantly relate to parent-child closeness as hypothesized. The model that best fit the data did not include proposed mediating variables of parent trauma symptoms and parental self-efficacy to explain the parent-child relationship. Participants’ responses to children’s distress did not significantly differ by essay condition in the overall sample. However, participants with significant trauma symptoms utilized significantly more emotion-focused parenting strategies when exposed to the positive childhood memory essay condition as compared to the control group. Participants whose essay responses included traumatic childhood experiences utilized significantly more supportive parenting strategies as compared to participants who did not. Findings support the impact of parents’ early traumatic experiences on their relationship with their own child.