Medical Student Research Forum Posters

Objectives: Latino individuals report high rates of childhood trauma, but the impact of parenting styles on childhood maltreatment (CM) in this population is unknown. This study examined the association between CM and parental bonding (PB) among adult Mexican Americans and Mexican nationals seeking services at primary care and mental health clinics on both sides of the California-Mexico border.

Methods: The Childhood Trauma Questionnaire and Parental Bonding Instrument were administered to 516 patients at one of 8 clinics in San Diego and Imperial, CA and Tijuana, Mexico between 2007 and 2008. Statistical analyses included Chi-square tests and multivariable logistic regression.

Results: Among respondents, 305 reported moderate to severe CM and 210 reported mild or no CM. PB style of mothers [N=503, χ2 (3)=115.69, p < .001] and fathers [N = 417, χ2 (3)=70.4, p < .001] was significantly associated with CM history. Patients who characterized their maternal bonding as “affectionless control” had an 8.94-fold higher odds of reporting moderate to severe CM compared to patients who characterized their maternal bonding as “optimal parenting” (95% CI, 4.51 to 17.73). Patients who characterized their paternal bonding as “affectionless control” had a 10.90-fold higher odds of reporting moderate to severe CM compared to patients who characterized their paternal bonding as “optimal parenting” (95% CI, 4.96 to 23.96). Maternal and paternal “affectionless control” were associated with higher odds of emotional, physical, and sexual abuse and of emotional and physical neglect compared to “optimal parenting.”

Conclusions: Suboptimal parenting near the California-Mexico border is associated with CM, which may negatively impact patients’ physical and mental health and socioeconomic opportunities into adulthood. These results may be used to develop and test parenting interventions in the border region to increase “optimal parenting” and decrease “affectionless control” practices.