Transformational change in parenting practices after child interpersonal trauma: A grounded theory examination of parental response

dc.contributor.authorCummings, Jorden A.
dc.date.accessioned2018-01-23T14:47:26Z
dc.date.available2018-01-23T14:47:26Z
dc.date.issued2018
dc.description.abstractChild interpersonal trauma is associated with a host of negative outcomes, both concurrently and in adulthood. Parental responses following trauma can play an important role in modulating child responses, symptoms, and post-trauma functioning. However, parents themselves are also impacted after their child experiences trauma, reporting distress, psychopathology, concerns about the child’s safety, changes in discipline and protectiveness, and feelings of blame. Most of this previous research, however, suffers from methodological limitations such as focusing on description and correlations, providing static “one shot” assessments of parenting after trauma, and relying mainly on results related to child sexual abuse. This project developed a comprehensive, explanatory theory of the dynamic process by which parenting changes in response to a range of child trauma, using a sample of parents whose children had experienced a range of interpersonal trauma types. Grounded theory analyses revealed a three-phase dynamic model of discontinuous transformation, in which parents experienced destabilization, recalibration, and re-stabilization of parenting practices in response to child trauma. Parents were focused on Protecting and Healing the child victim, often at the expense of their own needs. Most parents reached a phase of posttraumatic growth, labelled Thriving Recovery, but processes that hindered this recovery are also discussed. This study provides the first evidence that dynamic systems of change as well as vicarious posttraumatic growth can apply to parents of child trauma victims. Generating an explanatory theory provides important avenues for future research as well as interventions and services aimed at families who have experienced child trauma. (Author Abstract)en_US
dc.identifier.citationCummings, Jorden A. (2018). Transformational change in parenting practices after child interpersonal trauma: A grounded theory examination of parental response. Child Abuse & Neglect, 76, 117-128.en_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S014521341730399X/pdfft?md5=735b24b4b342fa1ba7c714f7bed40c9b&pid=1-s2.0-S014521341730399X-main.pdf  
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11212/3685
dc.language.isoen_USen_US
dc.publisherChild Abuse & Neglecten_US
dc.subjectchild abuseen_US
dc.subjectexposure to violenceen_US
dc.subjectsexual abuseen_US
dc.subjectphysical abuseen_US
dc.subjectverbal abuseen_US
dc.subjectdomestic violenceen_US
dc.subjectfamily violenceen_US
dc.subjectnon-offending caregiveren_US
dc.subjectresearchen_US
dc.titleTransformational change in parenting practices after child interpersonal trauma: A grounded theory examination of parental responseen_US
dc.typeArticleen_US

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