1.20 Maternal Adverse Childhood Experiences and Offspring Externalizing Problems: Are Maternal Familism and Social Support Resilience Factors Among Puerto Rican Families?

Offspring of mothers with adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) exposure are at risk for developing externalizing difficulties, which are associated with several negative outcomes across the lifespan. Although this link has been established, less is known about maternal resilience factors of lower offspring externalizing problems (EPs) when considered in a model adjusting for maternal ACEs. Understanding resilience factors in the relation between maternal ACEs and offspring EPs is important for identifying treatment targets and families in need of prevention. Furthermore, studies have not examined this process exclusively among homogenous Latine subgroups, such as individuals who identify as Puerto Rican (PR). The current study aimed to examine maternal familism and social support (SS) as factors that may be culturally relevant for Puerto Rican families given the strong cultural orientation toward family life and the family system. Participants were 538 mother-child dyads from the Boricua Youth Study-Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes of PR families living in the South Bronx, New York (NY), and San Juan, PR. To account for developmental differences, the sample was stratified into preschool (n = 304; mean age = 2.71 years old; 55.2% female) and school-aged (n = 234; mean age = 8.04; 45.3% female) groups. Analyses tested promotive resilience effects (main effects) of maternal self-reported familism and SS. Models adjusted for maternal ACEs, depression, child age, sex, and sociocultural context (ie, NY vs PR). As expected, maternal ACEs were related to greater offspring EPs for both the preschool and school-aged groups (b’s = 1.24 and 1.57; p’s < .001). Findings identified maternal SS as a resilience factor of lowered offspring EPs for both developmental groups (b’s = -.24 and -.27; p’s < .05) in the presence of maternal ACEs. The main effects of maternal familism were not supported. Findings did not differ by context. Understanding these relations may inform targeted intervention for PR communities. Specifically, findings support screening for maternal ACEs to potentially identify children at risk of developing EPs. Further, findings point to a need to identify and foster maternal resilience factors to improve children’s behavioral outcomes in the context of intergenerational adversity.