Date of Award

Spring 2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Department

Psychology

Committee Chairperson

Lauren Brumley, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Stevie N. Grassetti, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Sara Jaffee, Ph.D.

Abstract

Childhood abuse and neglect are associated with lasting negative mental and physical health outcomes across the lifespan. In contrast, positive childhood experiences (PCEs) can promote long-term health and wellbeing and mitigate the harmful effects of childhood adversity. A primary risk factor for child maltreatment is parental experiences of maltreatment whereby history of childhood trauma increases the likelihood of utilizing harsh and/or neglectful parenting towards one’s children. This study employed secondary data analysis of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health to test whether cumulative PCEs confer protective effects against the generational transmission of harsh and neglectful parenting. Consistent with prior research, parental history of childhood maltreatment was associated with having experienced fewer PCEs during adolescence and engaging in greater harsh and/or neglectful parenting towards one’s own children in adulthood. More PCEs were associated with less harsh parenting in bivariate correlations, but did not survive controls for childhood maltreatment and demographics in the regression. In a regression predicting overall maltreating parenting behavior, there was a significant main effect of childhood maltreatment on parenting behavior, and significant interaction of PCEs and childhood maltreatment. However, when graphed, the interaction did not suggest a buffering pattern as expected. Altogether, findings suggest that PCEs may reduce risk for harsh parenting in particular, though these benefits were overwhelmed in the presence of childhood maltreatment. PCEs may have benefits for outcomes other than problematic parenting behaviors, and highlights the need for further research to identify individual or structural factors that help break cycles of maltreatment.

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