Vol. 7, Issue 1, Part A (2025)

Background: Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) have intergenerational impacts on family functioning, yet little is known about how maternal trauma history influences paternal involvement during infancy. This study examined the relationship between maternal ACEs and subsequent paternal involvement, investigating potential mediating and moderating factors.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 400 mothers with infants aged 3-12 months. Maternal ACEs were assessed using the 10-item ACE questionnaire, and paternal involvement was measured using the Father Involvement Scale-Revised (FIS-R). Mediating variables included maternal depression (Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale), relationship quality (Dyadic Adjustment Scale), social support, and parenting stress. Multiple regression and mediation analyses were performed to examine relationships between variables.
Results: The mean maternal ACE score was 3.2 (SD = 2.4), with 72.5% reporting at least one ACE. Higher maternal ACE scores were significantly associated with lower paternal involvement across all dimensions (β = -0.31, 95% CI [-0.42, -0.20], p< 0.001). Maternal depression (indirect effect = -0.12, 95% CI [-0.18, -0.06]) and relationship quality (indirect effect = -0.15, 95% CI [-0.21, -0.09]) significantly mediated this relationship. Household income (β = 0.18, p = 0.003) and maternal education (β = 0.15, p = 0.012) moderated the association, suggesting socioeconomic resources may buffer negative impacts.
Conclusions: Maternal trauma history significantly influences paternal involvement during infancy, operating through maternal mental health and relationship quality pathways. These findings suggest the importance of trauma-informed approaches in family interventions and highlight the need for additional support for families with limited socioeconomic resources. Future longitudinal research is needed to establish causality and examine changes in these relationships over time.