Abstract
Adverse childhood experiences have a lasting impact on health across the life course. The perinatal period offers a unique opportunity to rework problematic dynamics in families experiencing intergenerational trauma. This study explores the family dynamics that are activated during the perinatal period and considers the potential for intervention with adolescent parents and their families in Lima, Peru. This narrative analysis was part of a broader study that included focus groups and in-depth interviews. Of the ten adolescent mothers interviewed, four narratives were selected for presentation in this manuscript. These particular narratives were selected to illustrate the diversity of the experiences among this group and for the exceptional level of detail provided about their life experiences and family relationships. Narrative excerpts were analyzed in the context of the entire interview and the aggregate content of other interviews in order to explore both explicit and implicit meanings. This study identified critical relational shifts among adolescent parents and their families during the perinatal period. In one instance, adolescent parenthood created an opportunity for the family to come together. In the other cases, conflict escalated, relations grew distant, or both. These narrative data demonstrate that intergenerational trauma can interfere with family relationships in the context of adolescent pregnancy and prevent adolescent parents from accessing needed support from their families. Intervention with families could address the impact of trauma and improve communication and collaboration.
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Acknowledgements
The authors wish to thank the dedicated staff members of Asociación Civil Proyectos en Salud (AC PROESA), Peru and Instituto Nacional Materno Perinatal (INMP), Peru for their expert technical assistance with this research.
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This research was supported by awards from the National Institutes of Health (Dr. Levey, K23-MH115169 and Dr. Gelaye, R01-HD102342). The NIH had no further role in study design; in the collection, analysis and interpretation of data; in the writing of the report; and in the decision to submit the paper for publication.
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The institutional review boards of the INMP, Lima, Peru and the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Office of Human Research Administration, Boston, MA, approved all procedures used in this study. All participants provided informed consent prior to the focus group or interview.
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Levey, E.J., Chang, A.R., Sanchez, M.L.J. et al. Manifestations of Intergenerational Trauma During the Perinatal Period Among Adolescent Mothers in Lima, Peru: A Qualitative Analysis. Journ Child Adol Trauma 16, 21–30 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40653-022-00477-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40653-022-00477-y