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Maternal History of Victimization and Adolescent Behaviors: Protective Function of Relationship Quality among At-Risk Mother-Adolescent Dyads

  • Risk and Resiliency factors for Maternal History of Victimization
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Abstract

This study examined the protective function of mother-adolescent relationship quality in mediating the association between maternal history of violent victimization and adolescent behavior problems. Participants included a subsample of 191 mother-adolescent dyads from the Longitudinal Studies of Child Abuse and Neglect (LONGSCAN) who were at highest risk of child maltreatment. Results revealed that 78.5 % of the mothers reported a history of victimization, which was significantly associated with maternal mental health issues and both adolescent internalizing and externalizing behaviors. Bootstrapping analyses revealed that mother-adolescent relationship quality significantly mediated the relationship between maternal history of victimization and adolescent behaviors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Family and Consumer Sciences, College of Education and Professional Studies, Central Washington University, 400 E. University Way, Ellensburg, WA, 98926, USA

    Amy M. Claridge

  2. Department of Family and Child Sciences, College of Human Sciences, The Florida State University, 225 Sandels Building, Tallahassee, FL, 32306-1491, USA

    Cassandra G. Lettenberger-Klein & Lenore M. McWey

  3. School of Social Work, College of Social Design and Inquiry, Florida Atlantic University, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton, FL, 33431, USA

    Heather M. Farineau

  4. Couple and Family Therapy, College of Education, The University of Iowa, 338 Lindquist Center North, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA

    Armeda Stevenson Wojciak

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  1. Amy M. Claridge
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  2. Cassandra G. Lettenberger-Klein
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  3. Heather M. Farineau
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  4. Armeda Stevenson Wojciak
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  5. Lenore M. McWey
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Correspondence to Amy M. Claridge.

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Claridge, A.M., Lettenberger-Klein, C.G., Farineau, H.M. et al. Maternal History of Victimization and Adolescent Behaviors: Protective Function of Relationship Quality among At-Risk Mother-Adolescent Dyads. J Fam Viol 29, 473–482 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-014-9604-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-014-9604-7

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