Neurobiological, psychological and parental influences on the perpetuation of intergenerational violence

Research has shown numerous adverse long-term consequences on child abuse victims which may involve physical injuries and psychological trauma. There is also a growing perception that maltreated children are at a greater risk of propagating violence in the community. In our paper, we seek to explain how the experience of abuse creates multiple pathways to emotional dysregulation, which then predisposes a victim towards perpetuating intergenerational violence. We reviewed the neurobiological outcomes, psychological outcomes, and the influences of parenting practices. We found that vulnerability of neural structures during a child’s developmental years would increase the risk of traumatic child maltreatment experiences, contributing to future perpetration. Psychological influences such as lowered self-esteem, stigmatization, and poor coping strategies would also cause shifts in victims’ perspectives, contributing to the perpetuation of the cycle of violence. In addition, parental influence was found to contribute substantially to child maltreatment victims’ manifestation of aggression. There are many other factors that may also contribute to the risk of intergenerational abuse, including the stresses of parenting, substance misuse, as well as the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder.Bachelor of Art