P-07 The Effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences on Parenting Practices

Buller Hall Lobby

This study examined the predicting relationship between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and the quality of current parenting practices. Results indicated that parental stress was a significant predictor of negative parenting practices (poor supervision, inconsistent discipline, and use of corporal punishment). In addition, an interaction between ACEs and resilience was present for positive parenting practices. These results suggest an intergenerational trauma cycle in which childhood trauma is passed down through negative parenting practices. Researching ACEs within a framework that incorporates the parent-child relationship highlights the importance of decreasing parental stress and improving positive parenting to break this trauma cycle.