Intimate partner violence indirectly dysregulates child diurnal adrenocortical functioning through positive parenting

Area of Science:

• Child Psychology
• Developmental Neuroscience
• Stress and Health

Background:

• Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a significant stressor with potential long-term effects on child development.
• Maternal mental health and parenting practices are critical mediators of child physiological regulation.
• Cortisol, a key stress hormone, provides a physiological marker for stress exposure and regulation in children.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the indirect impact of maternal intimate partner violence (IPV) exposure on child diurnal cortisol patterns.
• To examine the mediating role of maternal parenting practices (positive parenting and autonomy support) in the relationship between IPV and child cortisol.
• To explore the potential mediating role of maternal diurnal cortisol in this association.

Main Methods:

• Longitudinal study involving 221 mother-child dyads.
• Mothers self-reported on intimate partner violence (IPV) experiences and parenting styles.
• Salivary cortisol samples collected from mothers and children at waking, midday, and bedtime on two consecutive days.

Main Results:

• Maternal IPV exposure was associated with reduced positive parenting.
• Reduced positive parenting indirectly predicted higher child waking cortisol levels.
• No significant indirect effects of IPV on child diurnal cortisol were found through autonomy-supportive parenting or maternal diurnal cortisol.

Conclusions:

• Maternal experiences of intimate partner violence (IPV) may indirectly influence child physiological stress regulation through diminished positive parenting.
• Positive parenting acts as a crucial pathway linking maternal IPV exposure to altered child cortisol profiles.
• Findings highlight the importance of supporting mothers exposed to IPV to promote positive parenting and buffer negative impacts on child stress regulation.