My research program on the intergenerational continuity of child maltreatment involves three axes: 1) epidemiology, 2) mechanisms, and 3) partnered intervention research.

Research

Research-Practice Collaborations for Trauma-Informed Care (ongoing): I am collaborating with community organizations to adapt, implement, and evaluate the impacts of Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) with vulnerable families.

Intergenerational Cycles of Reported Child Maltreatment: A Descriptive Study (ongoing): This study aims to document the characteristics of families involved in intergenerational cycles of reported child maltreatment using data from one of Montreal’s Child Protective Agency (CCSMTL). It will provide essential local data on this recognized but undocumented phenomenon.

Intergenerational Continuity of Reported Child Maltreatment: Epidemiological Study of the Prevalence and Health-Related Risk Factors (ongoing): This project aims to provide data on the prevalence of the intergenerational continuity of child maltreatment by linking official data from Quebec Child Protective Agencies, the Régie de l’assurance-maladie du Québec (RAMQ), and the Ministère de la santé et des services sociaux (MSSS). Prevalence will be documented based on the first six years following delivery among young Quebec mothers who were between the ages of 13 and 25 at the time of delivery. The project will also evaluate whether a mother’s history of child maltreatment is a risk factor for second generation maltreatment, and will examine whether prevalence rates and health-related risk factors differ depending on maltreatment type.

The Childhood Adversity Study: This dyadic study aimed to examine the associations among childhood adversity, emotional and psychological well-being, and relationship quality between mothers and young adults. 

Perinatal Experiences and Parent-Child Relationships: This project aimed to document early risk and protective factors – parents’ mental health, relational functioning, perinatal complications, and early parent-child attachment behaviours – associated with intergenerational continuity of family violence in vulnerable families. 

The International Study of Parenting Norms (ongoing) :This study is an international collaboration that aims to investigate cross-cultural differences in social norms surrounding child maltreatment and its associations with experiences of child maltreatment, mental health, well-being and how people in different cultures respond to various life events. Our pilot project will collect data in Canada, Cameroon, Germany, and Japan. A new data collection is ongoing and will include more than 10 countries.