Intergenerational transmission of parenting: Women’s perspectives in the context of non-residential fatherhood

Studying intergenerational transmission of parenting enriches our knowledge of similarities and differences (i.e., continuities and discontinuities) in parenting across generations and potential explanations for these, but existing research is largely limited to quantitative studies. This qualitative study explored parent-child relationship quality and parenting behaviours across generations among Dutch women who have raised their children without the biological father of their children present in the same home (n = 17, M age = 51.53 years, range = 37-65 years). Thematic analyses of in-depth interviews revealed that women 1) reported closer relationships with their children than with their parents, 2) often only partially continued how they were raised by their own parents, and 3) related continuities and discontinuities of parent-child relationship quality and parenting behaviours to the context of non-residential fatherhood – specifically to the support and stress they experienced raising their children without the biological father present in the home. This qualitative study provides a comprehensive understanding of potential explanations for intergenerational transmission of parenting, which may help to identify intervention targets to reduce the transmission of suboptimal parenting practices.