Relationship of maternal childhood maltreatment and children’s emotional-behavioral problems: parental reflection functioning and social support’s role

Abstract

Childhood maltreatment has profound and long-lasting effects, not only on the victims but also on their offspring when they become parents later in life. This study aimed to investigate the role of two key mediating factors—parental reflective functioning and perceived social support—in the relationship between maternal childhood maltreatment and children's emotional and behavioral problems. We conducted a cross-sectional study in Iran from March to June 2024. Mothers of preschool children (4–6 years old) with emotional or behavioral problems (N = 222; Mean age = 34.06 ± 4.2 years) completed measures of Childhood maltreatment Questionnaire (CTQ), Parental Reflective Functioning Questionnaire (PRFQ), Perceived Social Support (PSS), and children's emotional and behavioral outcomes, as assessed using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). The SDQ includes subscales for emotional symptoms, conduct problems, hyperactivity/inattention, peer relationship problems, and prosocial behavior. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to assess the conceptual model. The results revealed that childhood maltreatment had no direct association with children’s emotional and behavioral problems. However, childhood maltreatment was positively and indirectly related to children’s emotional and behavioral problems (including emotional symptoms, conduct problems, hyperactivity/inattention, and peer relationship problems) and negatively and indirectly related to children’s prosocial behavior. These associations were mediated through pre-mentalizing modes of parental reflective functioning. Additionally, the analysis revealed no significant mediating role of perceived social support in this relationship. The findings highlight the significant indirect association between childhood maltreatment and various aspects of children’s emotional and behavioral problems through pre-mentalizing modes of parental reflective functioning. This underscores the critical role of enhancing parental reflective abilities to mitigate the adverse outcomes of childhood maltreatment on children’s emotional regulation and behavioral adjustment. © The Author(s) 2025.; • This study addresses a significant gap in understanding the nuanced relationship between maternal childhood maltreatment and children's emotional and behavioral problems, focusing on mediating factors such as parental reflective functioning and perceived social support. • Maternal childhood maltreatment is found to have an indirect but significant association with various aspects of children's emotional and behavioral problems, including emotional symptoms, conduct problems, hyperactivity/inattention, peer relationship difficulties, and prosocial behavior, through pre-mentalizing modes of parental reflective functioning. This indirect pathway underscores the complexity of familial influences on child development. • The indirect association of maternal childhood maltreatment with children's emotional and behavioral problems through the sequential pathway of perceived social support and parental reflective functioning was not significant. • The findings emphasize the critical importance of interventions aimed at enhancing parental reflective abilities. These interventions have the potential to mitigate the adverse associations of maternal childhood maltreatment with children's emotional regulation and behavioral adjustment, offering valuable insights for both clinical practices and policy initiatives. © The Author(s) 2025.