%0 Journal Article
%T Interpersonal violence during pregnancy: Enduring effects in the post
%A Amy K. Nuttall
%A Jennifer E. B. Lefever
%A Laura E. Miller-Graff
%J International Journal of Behavioral Development
%@ 1464-0651
%D 2019
%R 10.1177/0165025418780358
%X Women are at greater risk of exposure to interpersonal violence during pregnancy. The influence prenatal violence has on children¡¯s behavioral adjustment is generally understood to stem from its impact on mothers, but there is a dearth of prospective research to test these models. The current study evaluated the influence of interpersonal violence during pregnancy on children¡¯s behavioral adjustment in toddlerhood through the mother¡¯s mental health and parenting in infancy. Data were drawn from a longitudinal study on the transition to motherhood (N = 682). Mothers reported on their experiences of violence during pregnancy, depression at 6 months, and their children¡¯s behavior at 24 months. Warm, responsive behavior was coded at 8 months. Prenatal experiences of violence predicted toddlers¡¯ aggression/defiance toward mothers through maternal depressive symptoms and parenting in infancy. There were no effects on the toddlers¡¯ aggression toward their peers. Interpersonal violence in pregnancy was linked to aggression/defiance toward mothers in early childhood via cascading negative effects on maternal depressive symptoms and parenting
%K Violence
%K pregnancy
%K infant
%K toddler
%K parenting
%U https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0165025418780358