Wanting to provide the childhood they never got – a meta-synthesis of how survivors of childhood abuse experience becoming a parent
Purpose Experiencing childhood abuse is associated with an increased risk of developing a broad range of health issues and might impact the experience of transitioning into parenthood. We therefore wanted to explore how survivors of childhood abuse experience becoming a parent. Methods Using the met...
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| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Taylor & Francis Group
2025-12-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health & Well-Being |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17482631.2025.2523175 |
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| Summary: | Purpose Experiencing childhood abuse is associated with an increased risk of developing a broad range of health issues and might impact the experience of transitioning into parenthood. We therefore wanted to explore how survivors of childhood abuse experience becoming a parent. Methods Using the method of meta-ethnography, we synthesized the findings from 13 primary studies. Results The meta-synthesis resulted in three themes: 1) Own experiences of abuse enhance the desire to be a good parent; 2) Own experiences of abuse challenges parents in their new role; and 3) Becoming a parent as an opportunity to start a healing process. Conclusion Our results indicated that parents shared a dedication to providing their children with a better childhood than they had experienced. However, many parents struggled with low self-efficacy, and several became aware of their difficulties with attachment and emotional regulation when they became parents. Although challenging, the parenting role was also a source of positive and healing experiences. The implications of these results are discussed. |
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| ISSN: | 1748-2623 1748-2631 |