Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #108123

Sylvia Chiang, BA¹, Sherlyn Jimenez, MA, MFA², Eleni Rodis³, Michelle Williams, PhD⁴, and Linda Frisman, PhD³. (1) Dept of Mental Health and Addiction Services, University of Connecticut, 410 Capitol Ave., Hartford, CT 06134, (2) Psychology/Dept of Mental Health and Addiction Services, University of Connecticut, 406 Babbidge Road, Unit 1020, Storrs, CT 06269-1020, 860-930-2995, sherlyn.jimenez@uconn.edu, (3) Connecticut Dept. Of Mental Health and Addiction Services, 410 Capitol Avenue, PO Box 341431, MS #14 RSD, Hartford, CT 06134, (4) Dept of Psychology, University of Connecticut, 406 Babbidge Road, Unit 1020, Storrs, CT 06269-1020

Introduction: Literature on trauma and parenting shows that a history of victimization impacts parents' capacity to care for their children. Yet little is known about which types of traumatic experiences impact parenting the most. The present study examined the effect of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) from family or acquaintances on parenting and child behavioral outcomes, in a group of homeless women with multiple trauma history. The study also examined whether hardiness mediated the effects of such trauma history on parenting and child outcomes.

Methods: Participants from the Connecticut sites of the HFI study (N=188) were selected for this analysis. Measures include the SF-8, Brief Symptom Inventory, selected core items from the Addiction Severity Index, the Hardiness Scale, a revised version of The Parent Practices Scale, The Child Behavior Checklist and self-report questions on demographics.

Results: Multiple regression analyses were performed to examine whether a history of CSA prior to the age of 18 was related to parenting and child behavioral outcomes. A history of CSA was not associated with parenting style but was related to child behavioral problems. However, this relationship disappears after controlling for current mental distress. Additionally, hardiness was not found to mediate the relationship between CSA, parenting and child behavioral outcomes.

Conclusion: Current mental distress was found to have a bigger impact on parenting and child behavioral outcomes than CSA.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, participants will have

• A greater understanding of the impact of trauma experiences on parenting and child outcomes with homeless mothers.
• Additionally, participants will learn about future directions for trauma and parenting research with underserved populations such as homeless mothers.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.