The Meaning of Risk in Reproductive Decisions after Childhood Abuse and Neglect

Abstract

Few studies have addressed the experiences and meaning of family formation among adults who have experienced childhood maltreatment. From a critical interpretivist approach, we explored women’s and men’s perceptions of the risk of intergenerational transmission of family dysfunction in their stories of reproductive decisions. In this qualitative study, transcripts from interviews with 15 adults who self-reported childhood physical abuse, emotional abuse, neglect, or exposure to family violence were coded, thematically analysed, and patterns of meaning interpreted. In their reflections on their childhood experiences and the meaning of family formation in the present, risk was constructed in three ways: seven women who described themselves as meant to be mothers would not pass on dysfunction but rather a good family life; four women who described themselves as not meant to be mothers (voluntarily childless or parent allies) eliminated any risk of transmission of dysfunction; and two men and two women were uncertain about starting families and of their ability to eliminate the transfer of dysfunction. The findings offer an introduction to such adults’ generative experiences, point to future research questions, and afford understanding for mental health professionals who can provide anticipatory guidance during the transition to parenthood for adults who have experienced childhood maltreatment.