Intergenerational Continuity of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Among Cebuano Mothers: A Moderated Mediation Model

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are traumatic events children experience before reaching 18 years old and are known to be passed on from generation to generation, which suggests that experiencing ACEs at an early age often leads to subsequent abuse and maltreatment perpetration in adulthood. However, identifying factors that facilitate ACE transmission has always been a challenge, given the issue's complexity. This study aimed to address this gap and identified two contextual factors (parental proximal stressors and negative parenting practices) and investigated their mediating and moderating effects on the continuity of ACEs from mothers (G2) to their children (G3). Data collected from 230 mothers in Cebu City, Philippines, were analyzed using second-stage moderated mediation (model 15) to determine the conditional indirect effect of G2 ACEs towards G3 ACEs via parental proximal stressors as a function of negative parenting practices. Overall results established a moderated mediation model (F(5,224) = 18.26, p<.001, R²=.3075), suggesting that the interaction of parental proximal stressors and negative parenting practices increases the risk of continuity of ACEs from one generation to the next. Recommendations include preventive education of ACEs and adopting early intervention efforts to stop the cycle of abuse and neglect, preventing subsequent perpetration in adulthood.