Axis 2 aims to investigate the underlying mechanisms that contribute to the intergenerational continuity of child maltreatment. The focus is on identifying the pathways through which child maltreatment is transmitted across generations and the factors that may disrupt this cycle. The following ongoing and past projects are part of Axis 2:
Ongoing Projects
The International Study of Parenting Norms
This international collaboration study investigates cross-cultural differences in norms related to parenting and their associations with maltreatment, mental health, well-being and how people in different cultures respond to various life events. This project involves collecting data across many countries. Results may orient culturally sensitive community-based interventions and inform practices and policies across diverse populations worldwide. See the Publications tab for published findings.
A Pilot Study of Intergenerational Continuity of Child Maltreatment Across Cultures
The goal of this project is to describe and compare individual (e.g., sociodemographic characteristics, psychological distress, adult trauma, shame coping), relational (e.g., intimate partner violence, parenting stress, parental acceptance/rejection), and community-level (e.g., perceived acceptability of child maltreatment, gender norms, community support) risk and protective factors associated with the intergenerational continuity of child maltreatment in mothers and fathers across different cultures. Local co-investigators in Canada, Germany/German Switzerland, Australia/New Zealand, Turkey, and Ethiopia will collect and interpret data.
Intergenerational (Dis)Continuity of Family Violence in Non-Western Countries
This systematic review aims to explore the intergenerational recurrence of family violence victimization in non-Western countries. Specifically, it will investigate the extent to which family violence recurs across generations and examine cross-country differences in this pattern. Additionally, the review will identify risk and protective factors associated with the intergenerational continuity of family violence victimization, while also assessing whether these factors vary across different non-Western countries. The findings will inform culturally sensitive interventions and policies designed to address family violence in diverse global contexts.
Intergenerational Cycles of Intimate Partner Violence in Sub-Saharan Africa
This research, led by Dany Wadji, postdoctoral fellow, and funded by the Swiss National Research Foundation, aims to explore intergenerational cycles of intimate partner violence in Cameroon. As part of this project, a recent systematic review and meta-analysis on intergenerational cycles of intimate partner violence in Africa was published. Furthermore, data was collected in Cameroon to explore the factors (e.g., mentalization, social support) implicated in intergenerational cycles of family violence using a three-generation design.
Past Projects
The Childhood Adversity Study
This study examined the associations among childhood adversity, emotional and psychological well-being, and relationship quality between mothers and young adults. The study results have been published in several scientific articles (see Publications tab).
Pregnant Mothers Project
This project documented early risk and protective factors – parents’ mental health, relational functioning, perinatal complications, and early parent-child attachment behaviours – associated with intergenerational continuity of family violence in vulnerable families. The results of this study are now available (see Publications tab).