Family Social Support Buffers the Intergenerational Association of Maternal Adverse Childhood Experiences and Preschoolers' Externalizing Behavior

Despite previous work demonstrating that an accumulation of maternal adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) is associated with negative health outcomes across generations, few studies have investigated protective factors beyond the parent-child dyad in the intergenerational transmission of adversity. The current study extends previous findings by examining maternal family social support as a culturally relevant buffer in the association between mothers' ACEs and her children's behavior problems in early childhood. Participants included 121 African American mothers and their preschool-aged children experiencing high sociodemographic risk. Mothers completed questionnaires on ACEs, perceived family social support, children's violence exposure and behavior problems as well as relevant demographics. Maternal family social support moderated the relation between maternal ACEs and children's externalizing behaviors (b = −.14, p < .01), such that children of mothers who reported high ACEs and also moderate to high family social support did not show elevated externalizing behaviors; this pattern was not observed for internalizing behaviors (b = −.06, p = .06). Additionally, the intergenerational buffering effects of family social support were observed above and beyond mothers' psychopathology and children's exposure to violence. These results have implications for culturally relevant prevention and intervention efforts supporting African American mothers with young children that reflect resiliency in the face of disparities across generations. Public Policy Relevance Statement Promoting African American mother's family social support systems starting early in her child's development may represent a culturally relevant path to addressing the intergenerational public health challenges posed by adverse childhood experiences. Family social support holds promise as a path to supporting children's behavioral health outcomes and resiliency among African American families in the context of intergenerational adversity.