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Dissertation Xiafei Wang April 13.pdf (1.76 MB)

ETD Abstract Container

Abstract Header

Breaking the Cycle of Intergenerational Trauma

Wang, Xiafei
http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6820-0648
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu155507923824686

Abstract Details

2019, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, Social Work.
Children living with parents who have trauma histories tend to develop compromised behavioral health outcomes and trauma symptoms, suggesting a pattern of intergenerational trauma transmission. Breaking the cycle of inter-generational trauma is critical for the well-being of family and children, and has a relevance to social justice, because trauma diminishes life opportunities across generations and hinders social mobility. To inform behavioral health professionals to effectively work with parents who have trauma histories to break the cycle of intergenerational trauma transmission, this study has two specific aims 1) Identify the pathways from parents’ adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) to their child’s behavioral problems and functioning; 2) Explore families’ lived experience of trauma transmission and behavioral health intervention strategies that can counteract the transmission of trauma and reduce the negative intergenerational effects of trauma. This dissertation included both quantitative and qualitative research components. The quantitative inquiry employed a cross-sectional survey design to examine the pathways of intergenerational trauma transmission. The sample of parent participants (N=202) for the quantitative inquiry was recruited from an online data collection platform – Amazon Mechanical Turk. Structural equation modelling with Mplus 7 identified the mechanisms of trauma transmission. To enrich the understanding of the cycle of intergenerational trauma, 12 parent participants recruited from a local community mental health agency answered corresponding questions regarding families’ lived experiences during in-depth interviews. Those participants also shared their perceptions on helpful and unhelpful strategies in terms of breaking the cycle of intergenerational trauma. Grounded theory was employed in the processes of data collection, coding, and analysis. ATLAS.Ti 8 was used for data management and coding. The quantitative inquiry showed parental childhood maltreatment ACEs was directly and indirectly associated with child behavioral problems and functioning with two important mediators, i.e., parental emotion regulation and mentalization. However, there was no direct or indirect effect of parental household dysfunction related ACEs on child outcomes. The qualitative inquiry revealed the specific process of trauma transmission. Trauma resulted in parents’ difficulties in emotion regulation, which led to coercive parent-child interactions, while trauma-affected mentalization resulted in compromised parent-child bonding. In addition, parents’ distorted sense of self and insufficient awareness and inadequate skills of self-care also contributed to trauma transmission. Specific clinical strategies facilitating the therapeutic process of breaking the cycle of trauma were identified, including building an authentic therapeutic relationship, employing a strengths-based approach, and creating facilitating systems-level factors. Parents’ lived experience also showed the influence of neighborhood environment on family lives and revealed the potential of parents’ posttraumatic growth. This dissertation advances our existing understanding of the complexities of trauma transmission and informs family-focused, trauma-informed care in terms of screening, prevention, and intervention, so mental health professionals can effectively work for family systems in a manner which could alleviate the enduring negative effects of generational traumatic stress, reduce prohibitive social expenditures of mental health services, and promote social justice.
Mo Yee Lee (Committee Chair)
Kathryn Maguire Jack (Committee Member)
Camille Quinn (Committee Chair)
145 p.
Social Work
trauma; family; treatment

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Wang, X. (2019). Breaking the Cycle of Intergenerational Trauma [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu155507923824686

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Wang, Xiafei. Breaking the Cycle of Intergenerational Trauma . 2019. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu155507923824686.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Wang, Xiafei. "Breaking the Cycle of Intergenerational Trauma ." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2019. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu155507923824686

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu155507923824686
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This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.