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Volume 14
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10.3390/healthcare14152253
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Review

Exploring the Evidence Base on the Association Between Parents’ Adverse and Positive Experiences and the Developmental, Psychological and Behavioral Outcomes of Their Offspring: A Scoping Review

by
Miriam Riaz Nichol
*,
Christie O’Donnell
,
Irina Campbell
,
Carole Murphy
and
Christopher Graham
The Department of Psychological Sciences & Health, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow G1 1XQ, UK
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Healthcare 2026, 14(15), 2253; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare14152253
Submission received: 12 May 2026 / Revised: 16 July 2026 / Accepted: 21 July 2026 / Published: 23 July 2026
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Relationship Between Mental Health and Psychological Trauma)
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Abstract

Research has demonstrated the intergenerational effects of parents’ adverse and positive experiences. Despite growth in the literature, previous reviews have primarily focused on the intergenerational effects of parents’ childhood experiences. This scoping review aimed to characterize the intergenerational research on the associations between parental adverse and positive experiences across the life course (including childhood and adulthood) and the developmental, psychological and behavioral outcomes of their offspring. Following a search of ten databases, seven articles met the inclusion criteria. The majority of studies were cross-sectional (n = 4) and published in the United States (n = 6). Female caregivers dominated the data set (84.6%), with the large majority having a sample size above n = 1000. All studies reported a significant association between parent adversity and negative offspring outcomes; however, mixed findings were found for the protective properties of parents’ positive experiences. Findings indicate a need for further exploration, underscoring the importance of adequately powered studies inclusive and diverse in nature.
Keywords: adverse experiences; child outcomes; intergenerational trauma; mental health; parent-child dyads; positive experiences; psychological trauma; resilience and protective factors adverse experiences; child outcomes; intergenerational trauma; mental health; parent-child dyads; positive experiences; psychological trauma; resilience and protective factors

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MDPI and ACS Style

Nichol, M.R.; O’Donnell, C.; Campbell, I.; Murphy, C.; Graham, C. Exploring the Evidence Base on the Association Between Parents’ Adverse and Positive Experiences and the Developmental, Psychological and Behavioral Outcomes of Their Offspring: A Scoping Review. Healthcare 2026, 14, 2253. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare14152253

AMA Style

Nichol MR, O’Donnell C, Campbell I, Murphy C, Graham C. Exploring the Evidence Base on the Association Between Parents’ Adverse and Positive Experiences and the Developmental, Psychological and Behavioral Outcomes of Their Offspring: A Scoping Review. Healthcare. 2026; 14(15):2253. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare14152253

Chicago/Turabian Style

Nichol, Miriam Riaz, Christie O’Donnell, Irina Campbell, Carole Murphy, and Christopher Graham. 2026. "Exploring the Evidence Base on the Association Between Parents’ Adverse and Positive Experiences and the Developmental, Psychological and Behavioral Outcomes of Their Offspring: A Scoping Review" Healthcare 14, no. 15: 2253. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare14152253

APA Style

Nichol, M. R., O’Donnell, C., Campbell, I., Murphy, C., & Graham, C. (2026). Exploring the Evidence Base on the Association Between Parents’ Adverse and Positive Experiences and the Developmental, Psychological and Behavioral Outcomes of Their Offspring: A Scoping Review. Healthcare, 14(15), 2253. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare14152253

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