Associations between Maternal Adverse Childhood Experiences, Stressful Life Events, and Child Behavioral Outcomes in...

The purpose of this study was to examine associations between psychosocial factors and parenting practices with behavioral outcomes in children from racially/ethnically diverse mothers with a history of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and stressful life events (SLEs). This was a secondary analysis of cross-sectional survey data from the Family Matters cohort study. The analytic sample included families with children ages 5-9 with non-White mothers (n = 930) recruited from Minneapolis-St. Paul primary care clinics representing five racial/ethnic backgrounds (Black, Native American, Hmong, Somali, Latino). Multivariable regression models examined associations between maternal ACEs/SLEs, parenting practices, and child behavioral outcomes, adjusting for sociodemographic and contextual factors. Women with ≥ 4 ACEs and/or SLEs reported more permissive (p = < 0.001) and authoritarian parenting (p =.0018), substance use (p = <.001), and levels of moderate and severe psychosocial distress (p = <.001) compared to those with fewer to no ACEs/SLEs. Child behaviors were elevated among mothers reporting severe psychosocial distress (β = 2.85; p < .001), permissive parenting (β = 1.88; p < .001), and authoritarian parenting (β = 1.27; p < .001). There was a significant interaction between authoritarian parenting and community violence (β = 0.714, p = .022), strengthening the association between maternal mental health and child behavioral difficulties. In racially/ethnically diverse women with a history of ACEs/SLEs, maternal mental health distress and parenting practices were independently associated with higher child behavioral problems. Community violence may also play a role in these relationships. It is important to maintain maternal wellbeing by connecting mothers with appropriate mental health and parenting resources.