Intergenerational trauma: Parental PTSD and parent-reported child abuse subtypes differentially relate to admission characteristics in the autism inpatient collection.

This study looked at trauma experiences in autistic children and their parents. Researchers found that autistic children whose parents had trauma (PTSD) were three times more likely to experience abuse. Different types of abuse affected children differently - emotional abuse was linked to behavior problems, while physical and emotional abuse led to more emergency room visits. Girls were more likely to experience sexual abuse.

The findings show that family trauma can be passed down generations and affects autistic children's wellbeing.

This cross-sectional study examined intergenerational trauma patterns among 527 autistic youth admitted to inpatient services. The research investigated relationships between parental PTSD, different types of child abuse (physical, sexual, emotional), and admission characteristics. Key findings revealed that children of parents with PTSD were nearly three times more likely to experience physical and emotional abuse. Autistic girls showed higher rates of sexual abuse and multiple abuse types.

Different abuse types related to distinct outcomes: emotional abuse correlated with behavioral concerns, while both physical and emotional abuse linked to emergency service use. The study highlights the complex interplay between parental trauma and child maltreatment in autism populations, emphasizing the need for trauma-informed care approaches that consider intergenerational factors.

Findings support implementing trauma-informed care approaches that screen both children and parents for trauma histories. Clinicians should be aware of intergenerational trauma patterns and gender differences in abuse experiences among autistic youth. Different abuse types may require targeted interventions based on their distinct clinical presentations.

Study relied on binary parent reports of abuse and PTSD rather than validated diagnostic measures. Sample had low representation of minoritized identities (79% White). Cross-sectional design limits causal inferences about intergenerational trauma patterns.

Autistic youth experience high rates of maltreatment. Little research has considered how distinct abuse dimensions differentially relate to meaningful outcomes, nor taken an intergenerational approach to consider how caregiver trauma and child maltreatment are related. This study sought to identify how parent-reported child abuse subtypes and parent posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) relate to each other and to admission characteristics upon inpatient service entry. Autistic youth (N = 527; 79% White, 21.3% girls, mean age = 12.94 years) participated in the autism inpatient collection.

Parents reported on child abuse subtypes (physical, sexual, emotional) and their own PTSD, child behavior and emergency services, and parenting stress. Youth of parents with PTSD were nearly three times more likely to have parent-reported physical and emotional abuse. Autistic girls were more likely to experience parent-reported sexual abuse and a higher number of subtypes. Lower income related to higher rates of parent-reported child emotional abuse and parent PTSD.

Emotional abuse associated with child behavior whereas both child physical and emotional abuse related to emergency services. Reported parent PTSD associated with child behavior and parental distress. When considered jointly, parent PTSD and number of parent-reported child abuse subtypes differentially related to child behavior and interacted to predict psychiatric hospitalizations. Intergenerational continuity of trauma is important to consider among autistic youth, and both parent-reported child abuse and parent PTSD relate to admission characteristics.

Critical limitations include reliance on binary parent reports of child abuse and parent PTSD and the low representation of youth of minoritized identities. Implications for trauma-informed care are discussed. LAY SUMMARY: Autistic youth whose parents had reported posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were nearly three times more likely to have experienced parent-reported physical and emotional abuse. Parent-reported child emotional abuse uniquely related to child behavioral concerns whereas both physical and emotional abuse related to higher emergency services.

Parent PTSD also related to admission characteristics, showing that intergenerational continuity of trauma is critical to consider for understanding child maltreatment among autistic youth.