Breaking the Cycle of Maltreatment: The Role of Safe, Stable, and Nurturing Relationships

Details

• Alternative Title:
  J Adolesc Health
• Personal Author:
  Thornberry, Terence P. ; Henry, Kimberly L. ; Smith, Carolyn ; Ireland, Timothy O. ; Greenman, Sarah J. ; Lee, Rosalyn D.
• Description:
  Purpose
  
  We examine two research questions. First, does a history of child maltreatment victimization significantly increase the likelihood of maltreatment perpetration during adulthood? Second, do safe, stable, and nurturing relationships (SSNRs) during early adulthood serve as direct protective factors, buffering protective factors, or both to interrupt intergenerational continuity in maltreating behaviors?
  
  Methods
  
  Data come from the Rochester Youth Development Study that followed a community sample from age 14 to 31 with 14 assessments. Maltreatment victimization records covering birth through 17 were collected from Child Protective Services records as were maltreatment perpetration records from age 21 to 30. Data on five SSNRs were measured during three interviews from age 21 to 23.
  
  Results
  
  There is a significant relationship between maltreatment victimization and maltreatment perpetration (OR = 2.57; 95% CI = 1.47, 4.50). Three of the five SSNRs investigated—relationship satisfaction, parental satisfaction, and attachment to child—served as direct protective factors, significantly reducing risk for those who had been maltreated. However, none of the interaction terms—between maltreatment victimization and the SSNR—were statistically significant, indicating that the SSNRs did not serve as buffering protective factors
  
  Conclusions
  
  Although a history of maltreatment significantly increases the risk of subsequent perpetration of maltreatment, enhancing safe, stable, and nurturing relationships with intimate partners and with children during early adulthood can decrease the odds that a victim of maltreatment will become a perpetrator. Mandated reporters and service providers should be aware of the risk posed by earlier maltreatment and be prepared to ameliorate that risk, in part by strengthening supportive social relationships.
  
  
• Keywords:
  Adolescent Adult Adult Survivors Of Child Abuse And Nurturing Relationships Child Abuse Female Humans Intergenerational Continuity Intergenerational Relations Likelihood Functions Longitudinal Studies Male Maltreatment New York Parent-Child Relations Poverty Residence Characteristics Risk Factors Safe Sex Distribution Sexual Partners Social Support Stable Young Adult

  More +
• Source:
  J Adolesc Health. 53(4 0):S25-S31
• Pubmed ID:
  24059936
• Pubmed Central ID:
  PMC3959899
• Document Type:
  Journal Article
• Funding:
  R01CE001572/CE/NCIPC CDC HHSUnited States/ ; R01 MH063386/MH/NIMH NIH HHSUnited States/ ; R01 CE001572/CE/NCIPC CDC HHSUnited States/ ; R01MH56486/MH/NIMH NIH HHSUnited States/ ; R01DA020195/DA/NIDA NIH HHSUnited States/ ; P30HD32041/HD/NICHD NIH HHSUnited States/ ; R24 HD041041/HD/NICHD NIH HHSUnited States/ ; R01MH63386/MH/NIMH NIH HHSUnited States/ ; R01 MH056486/MH/NIMH NIH HHSUnited States/ ; R01DA005512/DA/NIDA NIH HHSUnited States/ ; R01 DA020195/DA/NIDA NIH HHSUnited States/
• Volume:
  53
• Collection(s):
  CDC Public Access
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha256:d310f44e14b5bb7d4685d624cf1440068657dd64f657d54f3b046887da62df8b
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/29884/cdc_29884_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 306.03 KB ]