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Protective factors that buffer against the intergenerational transmission of trauma from mothers to young children: A replication study of angels in the nursery

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 February 2019

Angela J. Narayan ,
Chandra Ghosh Ippen ,
William W. Harris  and
Alicia F. Lieberman
Angela J. Narayan*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Denver Department of Psychiatry and Child Trauma Research Program, University of California, San Francisco
Chandra Ghosh Ippen
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Child Trauma Research Program, University of California, San Francisco
William W. Harris
Affiliation:
Children's Research and Education Institute, New York City
Alicia F. Lieberman
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Child Trauma Research Program, University of California, San Francisco
*
Address correspondence and reprint requests to: Angela Narayan, University of Denver, Department of Psychology, 2155 S. Race St., Denver, CO 80208; E-mail: Angela.Narayan@du.edu.
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Abstract

This replication study examined protective effects of positive childhood memories with caregivers (“angels in the nursery”) against lifespan and intergenerational transmission of trauma. More positive, elaborated angel memories were hypothesized to buffer associations between mothers’ childhood maltreatment and their adulthood posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression symptoms, comorbid psychopathology, and children's trauma exposure. Participants were 185 mothers (M age = 30.67 years, SD = 6.44, range = 17–46 years, 54.6% Latina, 17.8% White, 10.3% African American, 17.3% other; 24% Spanish speaking) and children (M age = 42.51 months; SD = 15.95, range = 3–72 months; 51.4% male). Mothers completed the Angels in the Nursery Interview (Van Horn, Lieberman, & Harris, 2008), and assessments of childhood maltreatment, adulthood psychopathology, children's trauma exposure, and demographics. Angel memories significantly moderated associations between maltreatment and PTSD (but not depression) symptoms, comorbid psychopathology, and children's trauma exposure. For mothers with less positive, elaborated angel memories, higher levels of maltreatment predicted higher levels of psychopathology and children's trauma exposure. For mothers with more positive, elaborated memories, however, predictive associations were not significant, reflecting protective effects. Furthermore, protective effects against children's trauma exposure were significant only for female children, suggesting that angel memories may specifically buffer against intergenerational trauma from mothers to daughters.

Keywords

childhood maltreatmentintergenerational transmissionprotective factorsresilience
Type
Special Section Articles
Information
Development and Psychopathology , Volume 31 , Special Issue 1: The effect of maltreatment experiences on maltreating and dysfunctional parenting: A search for mechanisms , February 2019 , pp. 173 - 187
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2019 

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Footnotes

This study honors the memory of Patricia Van Horn, who was an original developer of the Angels in the Nursery Interview. We also thank the participating mothers who shared their angel memories with us, and their children who took part in this study.

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