Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Date of Degree

9-2026

Document Type

Doctoral Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Program

Psychology

Advisor

Cathy Widom

Committee Members

Peggilee Wupperman

Elizabeth Jeglic

Quincy Miller

Magda Javakhishvili

Subject Categories

Clinical Psychology | Psychological Phenomena and Processes

Keywords

Parenthood, Appraisal, Meaning, Abuse, Sexual Abuse, Physical Abuse

Abstract

Background: Child maltreatment is associated with poorer physical and mental health outcomes across the lifespan.  Individuals’ appraisals of childhood maltreatment have important implications for these outcomes.  Appraisal is shaped by biological, psychological, and social-cultural factors, each of which undergoes change in parenthood.  Parenthood may prompt re-appraisal of childhood maltreatment in that being a parent evokes one’s experience of being parented.

Hypotheses: (1) Re-appraisal will be more likely in parents than non-parents.  In parents, re-appraisal will be more likely among: (2) primiparous parents, (3) parents with offspring of the same sex, and (4) parents who experienced maltreatment older in childhood (at or after age six).  Exploratory analyses will examine if newer parents (i.e. those who identified as parents at interview 2 only) differ from existing parents (i.e. those who identified as parents at both interviews).

Methods: Re-appraisal was operationalized as change over time in retrospective self-reports of childhood maltreatment.  Existing data from an ongoing longitudinal prospective cohort study that followed individuals with court-substantiated histories of childhood maltreatment and demographically matched control participants was used.  Retrospective self-reports of childhood maltreatment were obtained in the context of in-person interviews administered at two time points: (1) 1989 – 1995: N = 1,196, mean age = 29, 676 maltreated and 520 controls; and (2) 2000 – 2002: N = 896, mean age = 40, 500 maltreated and 396 controls.  The present study was based on 892 participants (497 maltreated and 395 controls) for whom longitudinal data was available.  Potential bias from social desirability in responding was assessed with the Paulhus Deception Scale.

Analyses: Chi square tests were conducted to examine group and subgroup differences in re-appraisal between parents and non-parents and those with and without documented histories of maltreatment.  Logistic regressions were conducted to estimate adjusted odds ratios (AOR) and 95% confidence intervals for predictors of re-appraisal.  Analyses controlled for age, sex, and race.

Discussion: There was only partial support for the hypotheses.  Findings suggest that changes over time in self-reports of childhood maltreatment are similar across parents and non-parents alike, including those with and without documented histories of childhood maltreatment.  However, self-reports of sexual abuse were more likely to change over time among those with a history of childhood maltreatment, compared to those without such histories.  Clinical implications for survivors of childhood maltreatment are discussed.

Download

Share

COinS