Multigenerational patterns of parenting-at-risk: A test of Copy Process theory

Benjamin's (2006) theory of Copy Processes (CP) proposes that early experiences with both affiliative and disaffiliative caregiving shape the quality of one's own parenting behavior. Parenting practices may be intergenerationally transmitted (IGT) via two specific mechanisms that underlie intergenerational continuities in parenting: Identification (treating the child as the parent was treated by the caregiver) and Recapitulation (behaving with the child as the parent behaved with her caregivers in childhood). The current study extended Critchfield and Benjamin's (2008, 2010) tests of CP by testing for evidence of Identification and Recapitulation in a sample of maltreating (CM) and non-maltreating (non-CM) mothers. CM group differences in the rates of IGT specific to disaffiliative (i.e., maladaptive) parenting were also examined. Drawn from an NIMH-funded study of CM parenting processes, 171 mothers of 3-5 year old children (n = 88 CM) provided self-report data reflecting quality of parenting received in childhood and observational and self-report data representing current parenting with their preschool child. Results revealed evidence of the IGT of parenting via both mechanisms-- Identification and Recapitulation -- in both CM and non-CM mothers, although significantly greater intergenerational copy was observed in non-CM mothers relative to CM mothers. Contrary to expectations, CM group differences were noted in the mechanisms underlying the IGT of maladaptive parenting; evidence of maladaptive Identification was observed in the non-CM group, while CM mothers evidenced maladaptive Recapitulation. This study reflects the first to examine CP in parenting relationships using SASB utilizing both self report and observational measures of parenting. Additional research to explore factors influencing the strength of copy may help to further clarify the mechanisms underlying the IGT of adaptive and maladaptive parenting.