Abstract
Background: Parental exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) is associated with an increased risk of adversity in their offspring. In children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), heightened susceptibility to disruptive events amplifies their impact, making this a critical area for psychological intervention. Objetive: Synthesize the literature on the intergenerational transmission of ACE-related risk among parents of children diagnosed with ASD. Method: A scoping review was conducted using Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, and ProQuest Central. The inclusion criteria captured 4 high-impact journal articles and 1 doctoral dissertation published between 2021 and 2023. Results: The 13 thematic areas analyzed encompassed distal risk factors, such as parental ACEs in families of children with ASD; proximal risk factors, including intimate partner violence during pregnancy; protective factors, such as low or absent parental ACEs (distal) and the absence of intimate partner violence during gestation (proximal); and mechanisms of intergenerational continuity of adversity. Conclusions: Preliminarily, the findings highlight an association between parental ACEs and ASD diagnoses in offspring, as well as various factors that contribute to the perpetuation of risk patterns across generations.
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