Parental adverse childhood experiences and sexually abused adolescents: Exploring the intergenerational relationship

• Are there intergenerational ACE relationships from parents to children? • Parental ACE type affects child mental health more than total ACEs experienced. • Maternal and paternal ACEs differentially impact socio-emotional development. • Family and community support mitigate the effects of parents’ ACEs on children. This study examines the relationship between parental Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) and both mental health and the characteristics of socio-affective relationships in adolescent survivors of sexual abuse. The sample included 27 families and 33 adolescents, selected through convenience sampling, all of whom were participants in the Intervention Program for Children and Adolescents Victims of Sexual Abuse by Fundación Meniños (Galicia). A retrospective ex post facto study with a descriptive scope was used. Data collection involved a sociodemographic questionnaire, the ACE-International Questionnaire, the Attachment Style Questionnaire and the Assessment System for Children and Adolescents. The results did not reveal significant associations between the total number of parental ACEs and the dimensions assessed in the Attachment Style Questionnaire or the problem scales in the Assessment System for Children and Adolescents. However, significant associations were found between specific types of ACEs and both variables. Furthermore, the analyses revealed differences in the association of maternal and paternal ACE with the aforementioned variables. Finally, a significant relationship was also found between attachment styles and adolescents’ mental health. These findings underscore the differential impact of ACEs depending on the type of adversity experienced and the parental gender, emphasizing the need for clinical approaches that integrate family dynamics as well as sociocultural and environmental factors. Future research should consider variables related to resilience and protective factors to deepen the understanding of the impact of parental ACEs on adolescents in highly vulnerable contexts, such as those affect by sexual abuse.