INTERGENERATIONAL TRANSMISSION OF PHYSICAL VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN: MOTHERS’ REPORT
Abstract
The transgenerational transmission of violence represents an important field of research for the understanding and prevention of physical violence against children, since it is an important factor for the maintenance of abusive patterns in the family. However, the mechanisms responsible for this transmission are not yet fully understood. This study aimed to investigate the experience and the perception of mothers with and without a history of physical abuse against children regarding the practices of their caregivers in the family of origin and their practices in their own family. Participants were 12 mothers with children aged between 7 and 12 years, divided in three groups, considering their history of physical abuse, who answered a sociodemographic questionnaire and a semi-structured interview. The participants of the three groups pointed out more differences than similarities between their family of origin and the current one, especially because they do not want the same suffering for their children. The results also indicated that receiving support during childhood and a negative perception about their own childhood experiences can contribute to change the parental practices. On the other hand, mothers who perceive the experience of physical violence as less serious may be more likely to reproduce such practices. We discuss the implications for intervention programs to families with a history of physical abuse against children and we also emphasize the need to stimulate research that investigates the factors and mechanisms related to the gender, in order to better understand this phenomenon.Downloads
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