Exploring the influence of maternal social support on the relationship between parenting stress among mother survivors of intimate partner violence and the mental health of their children

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a pervasive public health problem that disproportionately affects women and poses an intergenerational burden when it occurs among mothers. Children of mothers who experience IPV are at increased risk for experiencing a variety of mental health problems. Parenting stress mediates the relationship between IPV among mothers and the mental health outcomes of their children. Although social support protects against the harmful effect of IPV on mental health outcomes in mother survivors of IPV, it is less understood whether social support among mothers who experience IPV also has a protective effect on the mental health of their children. The proposed study will use a cross-sectional survey to understand whether maternal social support moderates the relationship between parenting stress in mother survivors of IPV and the mental health outcomes of their children. Hypotheses will be examined using descriptive analyses, bivariate correlations, and regression analyses.