Mothers’ Violence Experiences and Provision of Emotional Support Following Child Sexual Abuse

Abstract

Emotional support from a non-offending caregiver, often the child’s mother, is theorized to help buffer children from the consequences of child sexual abuse (CSA). However, many mothers struggle to provide effective emotional support, suggesting it may be important to assess for factors related to mothers’ abilities to support their child. CSA frequently occurs in families that have experienced other types of violence, including intimate partner violence (IPV), and many mothers have their own personal history of child abuse. This research examined the prevalence and influence of mothers’ experiences of child abuse and adult interpersonal violence on the provision of emotional support following their child’s CSA disclosure. Participants included 120 mothers and their children (aged 7–17) recruited from a children’s advocacy center following the disclosure of CSA. Mothers and children completed convergent measures of emotional support. Mothers also completed semi-structured interviews assessing their experiences of adult IPV and child physical abuse and sexual abuse. Most mothers had experienced IPV (68%) and child physical abuse (87%). Nearly half (49%) had experienced CSA. Regression analyses indicated that mothers’ experiences of CSA were negatively associated with mother-report of emotional support (partial η² = .05); however, mothers’ experiences of IPV and child physical abuse were positively associated with child-report of emotional support (IPV, partial η² = .06; physical abuse, partial η² = .09). The results highlight the importance of assessing for mothers’ experiences of violence to best support families receiving services for CSA.