Approval of Parent-Child Aggression as a Mediator of Intergenerational Child Abuse Risk: An Evaluation of Racial Differences

Objective: Personal history of child abuse and parent-child aggression (PCA) can predict future parenting behavior, but some effects may differ between cultural groups. Black parents in the U.S. are more likely to encounter discrimination and to personally experience and approve of PCA use. This study examined whether personal abuse history predicted later parental child abuse risk, as mediated by PCA approval across the transition to parenthood, and whether effects differed by race. Method: Expectant parents (181 non-Hispanic White, 179 Black) participated in a prospective longitudinal study, assessed in the last trimester of pregnancy and when children were age 6 mo., 18 mo., and four years. History of PCA was assessed prenatally; an analog measure of child abuse risk and a self-report of PCA approval were administered at each timepoint, with parents reporting their PCA use at the last two timepoints. Results: Personal PCA history predicted greater PCA approval for Black parents, but this association was inconsistent for White parents. Greater PCA approval related to abuse risk for both groups. Personal PCA history did not significantly predict abuse risk for White parents, whereas Black parents’ personal PCA history more directly linked to their abuse risk—a link that differed significantly between groups. Conclusions: Findings suggest PCA approval can perpetuate the cycle of PCA but future work needs to consider differential effects by race and identify other factors that may explain direct effects of personal history on abuse risk. Development of abuse preventions should be more intentionally culturally informed to enhance efficacy.