Parental Adverse Childhood Experiences and Parenting Stress: A Systematic Review

The impact of childhood adversity on parenting has long been a subject of research interest. This systematic review aimed to synthesize literature on parental adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and parenting outcomes, with a particular focus on parenting stress and its underlying mechanisms. Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis guidelines, 2,693 articles were identified through Boolean searches across ProQuest, MedLine via PubMed, PsycINFO via EBSCOhost, Cochrane, and Google Scholar, and 11 studies met the inclusion criteria. The criteria were: quantitative studies, parents with ACEs, parenting stress as a primary or analyzed variable, published between 1997 and 2024, and full-text availability in English. Findings revealed strong evidence linking ACE exposure to increased parenting stress. Parenting stress functioned both as a direct outcome and as a mediator or moderator in broader parenting models, although evidence regarding these pathways was inconsistent. Diverse instruments were used to assess ACE and parenting stress, with variations in construct validity likely contributing to heterogeneity in findings. Future research should include diverse sociocultural groups, longitudinal designs, and greater inclusion of fathers. Implications for practice, research, and policy are discussed.