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Maternal History of Childhood Violence in the Context of a Parenting Program

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Abstract

The present study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a universal parenting program of violence prevention against children to improve the parenting practices in groups of mothers differentiated by the presence or not of a history of adverse childhood experiences. The study also aimed to characterize the types of violence experienced by the participants. A mixed-methods approach was used with qualitative and quantitative analyzes. The study sample consisted of 125 mothers of 3- to 8-year-old children. Mothers participated in the ACT-Raising Safe Kids Program with pre- and post-intervention evaluations. A self-report questionnaire was used to assess mothers’ parenting practices (emotional and behavioral regulation, communication, and positive discipline). After the intervention, an individual interview was carried out, including open-ended questions about the participants’ history of relationship with their parents and violence and maltreatment situations in their childhood. For the analysis, the mothers were divided into two groups, with a history of violence in childhood (VG; n = 103) and without violence in childhood (CG; n = 24). Results showed a high prevalence (81%) of mothers who reported violent episodes in their childhood, predominantly physical abuse. In the ACT post-intervention, both groups of mothers reported improvements in all dimensions of their parenting practices. In conclusion, the mothers improved their parenting practices after participation in a preventive program, regardless of their history of violence in childhood.

Highlights

  • The majority of the mothers participating in this universal prevention parenting program reported violent episodes in their childhood.

  • Physical abuse was the type of violence most reported by the mothers.

  • Most participants reported that they experienced more than one type of violence.

  • The ACT program was effective for improving parenting practices of mothers who did and did not report a history of violence in childhood.

  • Universal parenting programs like ACT effectively engage parents without risk of personal disclosures and/ or stigmatization by peers.

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Acknowledgements

Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Level Personnel, Brasília, DF/Brazil (CAPES, PNPD20131692), the Foundation for Support of Research in the State of São Paulo, Brazil (FAPESP; grants #2012/25293-8 and #2015/21721-3), National Council of Science and Technology Development (CNPq), Fellowship Scientific Program for Undergraduate Students of the University of São Paulo, Maria Cecília Souto Vidigal Foundation and Foundation of Support for Teaching, Research, and Assistance of the Hospital of Clinics (FAEPA, HC-FMRPUSP) offered financial support. The American Psychological Association supported with all material of ACT Raising Safe Kids Program. The authors thank the mothers who generously participated in this study. Francine Belotti da Silva, and Maria Eduarda André Pedro, who participated in the data collection. Research conducted by E.R.P.A., R.C.deO., and M.B.M.L., University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, Department of Neurosciences and Behavior and Ribeirão Preto Philosophy, Sciences and Literature School.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

    Elisa Rachel Pisani Altafim, Rebeca Cristina de Oliveira & Maria Beatriz Martins Linhares

  2. Ribeirão Preto Philosophy, Sciences and Literature School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

    Rebeca Cristina de Oliveira

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  1. Elisa Rachel Pisani Altafim
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Correspondence to Elisa Rachel Pisani Altafim or Maria Beatriz Martins Linhares.

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The Research Ethics Committee approved the study, and all participants signed the consent form before participation. Participants were also assured that in the case of distress regarding emotions and memories related to violence, they would receive psychological support from the researcher, who was a psychologist. Additionally, individual interviews with the mothers were held at the end of the intervention process to provide feedback.

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Altafim, E.R.P., de Oliveira, R.C. & Linhares, M.B.M. Maternal History of Childhood Violence in the Context of a Parenting Program. J Child Fam Stud 30, 230–242 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-020-01868-1

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