Do multigenerational homes moderate the intergenerational transmission of maternal adverse childhood experiences?

Background: Maternal adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) may lead to increased behavioural problems in children. However, the mediating roles of psychological distress and corporal punishment, two common mechanisms underlying the intergenerational transmission of maternal ACEs, in these relations have not been examined in Chinese samples. Multigenerational homes (MGH) are the dominate living arrangement in China; however, limited research focuses on the effects of MGHs on the intergenerational transmission of maternal ACEs.Objective: This study explored the parallel mediating effects of corporal punishment and psychological distress on the association between maternal ACEs and children's behaviour and whether MGHs can strengthen or weaken the relationship between maternal ACEs and corporal punishment or psychological distress.Participants and setting: Participants were 643 three-year-old children and their mothers (mean age of 32.85 years, SD = 3.79) from Wuhu, China.Methods: Mothers completed online questionnaires measuring ACEs, psychological distress, corporal punishment, their family structure, and children's behavioural problems. This study used a moderated mediation model.Results: The findings suggest that psychological distress and corporal punishment mediate the association between maternal ACEs and children's behavioural problems. The mediating role of corporal punishment was found depend on whether mothers and their children reside in MGHs. MGHs were not found to have a moderating role in the indirect relationship between maternal ACEs and children's behaviour problems via psychological distress.Conclusion: Our findings highlight the importance of addressing psychological distress and corporal punishment when designing interventions targeted Chinese mothers exposed to ACEs and their children, especially those living in MGHs. Psychological distress and corporal punishment have parallel mediating roles in the associations between maternal adverse childhood experiences and offspring behavioural problems.Mothers with more adverse childhood experiences and in multigenerational homes were more likely to use corporal punishment.Multigenerational homes did not moderate the indirect relationship via psychological distress. Antecedentes: Las experiencias adversas maternas infantiles (ACEs en su sigla en ingl & eacute;s) conlleva a un incremento de los problemas conductuales en los ni & ntilde;os. Sin embargo, los roles mediadores del estr & eacute;s psicol & oacute;gico y el castigo corporal, dos mecanismos subyacentes comunes en la transmisi & oacute;n intergeneracional de las ACEs maternas, en estas relaciones no han sido estudiados en muestras chinas. Los hogares multigeneracionales (MGHs en su sigla en ingl & eacute;s) son el arreglo de vivienda dominante en China; sin embargo, la investigaci & oacute;n enfocada en los efectos de los MGHs en la transmisi & oacute;n intergeneracional de las ACEs maternas es limitada.Objetivo: Este estudio explor & oacute; los efectos mediadores paralelos del castigo corporal y del estr & eacute;s psicol & oacute;gico en la asociaci & oacute;n entre ACEs maternas y conducta infantil, y si los MGHs pueden aumentar o disminuir la relaci & oacute;n entre las ACEs maternas y el castigo coporal o el estr & eacute;s psicol & oacute;gico.Participantes y contexto: Los participantes fueron 643 ni & ntilde;os de 3 a & ntilde;os y sus madres (edad promedio 32.85 a & ntilde;os, DE = 3.79) de Wuhu, China.M & eacute;todo: Las madres completaron cuestionarios en l & iacute;nea que med & iacute;an ACEs, estr & eacute;s psicol & oacute;gico, castigo corporal, estructura familiar y problemas conductuales infantiles. Este estudio us & oacute; un modelo de mediaci & oacute;n moderada.Resultados: Los hallazgos sugieren que el estr & eacute;s psicol & oacute;gico y el castigo corporal median la asociaci & oacute;n entre ACEs maternas y problemas conductuales infantiles. El rol mediador del castigo corporal se encontr & oacute; dependiendo de si las madres y sus hijos resid & iacute;an en MGHs. MGHs no moderaron la relaci & oacute;n indirecta entre ACEs maternas y problemas conductuales infantiles mediante el estr & eacute;s psicol & oacute;gico.Conclusi & oacute;n: Nuestros resultados enfatizan la importancia de abordar el estr & eacute;s psicol & oacute;gico y el castigo corporal a la hora de dise & ntilde;ar intervenciones dirigidas a madres chinas expuestas a ACEs y sus hijos, especialmente a aquellos viviendo en MGHs.