The Intergenerational Transfer of Mother–Daughter Risk for Gender-Based Abuse

Abstract

In this 10-year longitudinal study 150 mother-daughter pairs were recruited to participate in a study examining gender-based abuse across three generations. Forms of gender-based abuse included: child sexual abuse, witnessing intimate partner violence against their mothers, and intimate partner violence or dating violence in adolescence or adulthood. Daughters were interviewed when they were on average 9, 14, and 16 years old. Regression analyses revealed that if the grandmother (G1) was abused by her husband, her daughter (G2) was more likely to be sexually molested in childhood and was also more likely to be in an abusive relationship as an adult. If the mother (G2) was sexually abused as a child her daughter (G3) was at increased risk for child sexual abuse. In turn, child sexual abuse for the daughters related to their reports of dating violence in adolescence. Daughters (G3) who were sexually abused expressed more anxiety about romantic relationships, reflecting early attachment conflicts. Both child sexual abuse and anxious romantic attachment style independently predicted adolescent sexual risk-taking as in having multiple sexual partners or dating older men. These findings demonstrate how informative it is to include multiple forms of gender-based abuse in research and practice to better illuminate complex family dynamics. In addition, the findings support previous empirical work showing the importance of attachment behavior in women who are in abusive relationships, which has unique clinical implications.

Child Sexual Abuse, Baby Gender, and Intergenerational Psychic Transmission: An Exploratory, Projective Psychoanalytic Approach

“…This is the age at which she met a member of our team who was working in that institution and who has followed up on Anna since that time. At this point, as seen in a number of girls abused in childhood (McCloskey, 2013), Anna began to engage in early at-risk sexual conduct. At the age of sixteen she gave birth to a boy, whom she abandoned at the maternity ward of the hospital.…”

“…Most clinical studies have arrived at the same conclusions, including the high frequency of greater psychiatric perturbations among adults abused during early development (Bifulco et al, 2002;Lueger-Schuster et al 2014, Lynskey & Fergusson, 1997McCloskey, 2013;Polusny & Follette, 1995). The perturbations show up as a greater number of anxiety, depressive, and personality disorders; risk of psychosis; substance use; and post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD), among other problems.…”

“…First, CSA generates more at-risk sexuality during adolescence (McCloskey, 2013), and/or disrupted sexual functioning (Testa, Hoffmann, & Livingston, 2011) and difficulties in the life of the couple (DiLillo, 2001;Romito, Crisma, & Saurel-Cubizolles, 2003). Problems with parenting also seem to arise (Barrett, 2009;DiLillo & Damashek, 2003), although the available data on parenting are sometimes contradictory and in most cases fail to be grounded in a theoretical model capable of clarifying them.…”

Adolescentes mães em instituições de acolhimento: Psicodiagnóstico Compreensivo e Interventivo

“…Ainda no âmbito internacional, outra pesquisa mais recente aponta para a correlação entre a violência doméstica e problemas familiares, como falta de moradia fixa e modos de exercer a parentalidade inadequados com práticas inconsistentes (TURNER et al, 2012). Estudos apontam também para a transmissão do padrão abusivo entre as gerações (FONTAINE & NOLIN, 2012;McCLOSKEY, 2013).…”

“…Essas experiências degradantes na infância alteram o padrão de apego do primeiro ano de vida. Com isso, essas crianças desenvolvem uma baixa autoestima, tornam-se mais inseguras e ansiosas, ficando mais suscetíveis a vínculos sexuais de risco, o que seria um caminho para revitimização (McCLOSKEY, 2013).…”