Session: The Intergenerational Transmission of Risk and Resilience (Society for Prevention Research 22nd Annual Meeting)

Most of the time, prevention scientists try to intervene on existing risk factors (e.g., parents’ lack of resources or ability), in an effort to counteract their detrimental effects on targeted individuals (e.g., their children). Yet, prevention efforts could be more efficient if they targeted risk factors before their emergence. For example, helping future parents to become resilient and resourceful individuals would promote their future children’s well-being, perhaps more efficiently than by intervening with families who are already dealing with many challenges. Intergenerational studies following parents and children over decades provide unique opportunities to understand the mechanisms involved in the transmission of risk from parents to children, and to suggest prevention targets at the preconception stage. This symposium presents findings from three intergenerational studies (two U.S.-based and one Canadian) that have looked at the mechanisms underlying the transmission of risk and resiliency factors from parents (G1) to children (G2). 

Study 1 looked at how a specific risk factor at the parental level (i.e., alcohol use) can have very broad consequences on young children’s development. It showed that father’s alcohol use, both actual and prior to child’s conception, negatively affected child functioning in the domains of motor skills, cognitive competence, and social development. Interestingly, mother’s alcohol use did not have such negative consequences.

In Study 2, couples (G1) provided data about their experience of economic hardship, their hostile behaviors in their romantic relationship, and their problem solving strategies. Thirteen years later, their offspring (G2) was assessed on the same variables. Although risk factors (economic hardship and relationship issues) showed stability across generations, problem-solving skills were also transmitted from G1 to G2. For both G1 and G2 participants, efficient problem solving provided a buffer against the increase in hostile behaviors when facing economic pressures.

Study 3 examined factors that help children from low socioeconomic backgrounds to move up to a higher socioeconomic status, in a socio-historical context where accessibility to higher education is improved for the upcoming generation (G2). Results show that G1’s relatively higher SES and G2 academic competence helped G2 participants to take advantage of new educational opportunities. 

The discussant currently directs an ongoing thirty-three year longitudinal study and its associated thirteen year intergenerational study. He will guide a discussion about the implications these results have for prevention science and practice.