Transgenerational transmission of trauma. Heterogeneity in the experiences of mothers who experienced out-of-home care (OHC) and adjustment of their children

This study examines heterogeneity in adult functioning among mothers with out-of-home care (OHC) experience, and the intergenerational transmission of trauma associated with maternal OHC. The study draws on the nationally representative UK Millennium Cohort Study (MCS). The analytic sample comprises n = 305 mothers (G1) who reported to have experienced OHC before the age of 17 and their children at age 17 (G2). Running a latent class analysis across a range of adult outcomes such as educational attainment, employment, finance, housing, physical and mental health we identified three groups of mothers with OHC experience. These included 27% mothers who reported relative positive adult adjustment (resilient mothers); a group comprising mainly impoverished mothers (39%) and a group of distressed mothers (34%) with relative high levels of mental health problems who are experiencing more chaotic home lives. The children of relative resilient mothers with OHC experience showed higher levels of academic attainment compared to children of mothers who encountered more problems in their transition to adulthood. However, all children of mothers with OHC experiences reported high levels of depression and risk of self-harm by age 17 – including those of resilient mothers. The findings highlight the capacity of mothers with OHC experience to break the vicious cycle, although there is also a long shadow of intergenerational trauma which needs to be addressed.