Parenting After Child Maltreatment: A Study of Maternal Parenting Strategies and the Parent-child Relationship

Parenting practices and the parent-child relationship play a crucial role in child development. Families affected by child maltreatment may experience poor parent-child relationships and negative parenting practices. Research on parenting where both mothers and children have experienced maltreatment is limited. This study aims to investigate the parent-child relationship and parenting strategies among mothers (N = 228) of children (5–11 years) with maltreatment experiences, and whether there are differences in parenting behaviors between mothers with and without personal maltreatment histories. The Alabama Parenting Questionnaire (APQ) was used to assess parenting strategies, while the Child-Parent Relationship Scale (CPRS) was utilized to investigate the parent-child relationship. Mean scores and standard deviations were calculated for the entire sample and the two groups of mothers. To compare the groups, we used two-sample t-tests and generated plots to illustrate response distributions. Fisher’s exact test was also used to compare response patterns. We found no significant differences between the groups in the APQ subscales (positive parenting and inconsistent discipline) or the closeness subscale of the CPRS. Both groups reported using positive parenting strategies and having close relationships with their children. However, mothers with maltreatment experiences reported significantly higher conflict (CPRS) scores than those without such experiences (p = 0.009). Clinicians can build on the strengths observed in this study to enhance the parent-child relationship and parenting practices. The elevated conflict levels reported by mothers with maltreatment experiences highlight a critical area for interventions aimed at supporting healthier family dynamics and reducing conflict.