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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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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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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| author | Signe Hjelen Stige Martin Mauritzson Greve Kari Anne Trefall |
| author_facet | Signe Hjelen Stige Martin Mauritzson Greve Kari Anne Trefall |
| author_sort | Signe Hjelen Stige |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | 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. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d42d4b2ade2a40be8e3e113eb73bf5a1 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1748-2623 1748-2631 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-12-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health & Well-Being |
| spelling | doaj-art-d42d4b2ade2a40be8e3e113eb73bf5a12025-08-20T03:28:29ZengTaylor & Francis GroupInternational Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health & Well-Being1748-26231748-26312025-12-0120110.1080/17482631.2025.25231752523175Wanting to provide the childhood they never got – a meta-synthesis of how survivors of childhood abuse experience becoming a parentSigne Hjelen Stige0Martin Mauritzson Greve1Kari Anne Trefall2University of BergenUniversity of BergenUniversity of BergenPurpose 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.http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17482631.2025.2523175abusetraumachildhoodparenthoodparent |
| spellingShingle | Signe Hjelen Stige Martin Mauritzson Greve Kari Anne Trefall Wanting to provide the childhood they never got – a meta-synthesis of how survivors of childhood abuse experience becoming a parent International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health & Well-Being abuse trauma childhood parenthood parent |
| title | Wanting to provide the childhood they never got – a meta-synthesis of how survivors of childhood abuse experience becoming a parent |
| title_full | Wanting to provide the childhood they never got – a meta-synthesis of how survivors of childhood abuse experience becoming a parent |
| title_fullStr | Wanting to provide the childhood they never got – a meta-synthesis of how survivors of childhood abuse experience becoming a parent |
| title_full_unstemmed | Wanting to provide the childhood they never got – a meta-synthesis of how survivors of childhood abuse experience becoming a parent |
| title_short | Wanting to provide the childhood they never got – a meta-synthesis of how survivors of childhood abuse experience becoming a parent |
| title_sort | wanting to provide the childhood they never got a meta synthesis of how survivors of childhood abuse experience becoming a parent |
| topic | abuse trauma childhood parenthood parent |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17482631.2025.2523175 |
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