The moderating effect of maternal childhood maltreatment on the association between social support and parenting outcomes

Although social support is generally expected to improve parenting issues, previous findings on its efficacy among parents who have experienced childhood maltreatment are inconsistent. However, the reasons for this inconsistency have not yet been clarified. To address this, the present study examined the possibility that experiencing specific subtypes of childhood maltreatment (i.e., emotional abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional neglect, and physical neglect) impairs the subsequent function of social support in parenting. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted with Japanese mothers of children aged one to three years. In the survey, participants completed four scales: the Parenting Stress Index-Short Form, Parenting Skills Scales for Mothers of Toddlers, Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form, and the Brief Inventory of the Social Support Exchange Network. A total of 360 datasets were analyzed (mean age = 33.73, SD = 4.73). The results indicated that physical abuse diminished the effect of social support on the prevention of negative parenting. However, social support alleviated parenting stress regardless of childhood maltreatment subtype. The effects of social support on increased positive parenting and decreased negative parenting were unclear compared to its effect on parenting stress. These findings have important implications for supporting parenting among parents who have experienced childhood maltreatment and preventing. intergenerational transmission. • Childhood maltreatment subtypes differently affect social support in parenting. • Maternal physical abuse weakens social support's role in preventing negative parenting. • Social support reduces parenting stress despite levels of childhood maltreatment.