The Global Perspectives on Intergenerational Child Maltreatment Outreach Event

Résumé

The Global Perspectives on Intergenerational Child Maltreatment Outreach Event, chaired by Dr. Rachel Langevin, Associate Professor at McGill University and Director of the Resilience, Adversity, and Childhood Trauma Research Lab (ReACT Lab), was held on April 28 and 29, 2025 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. This event was a huge success, where attendees and collaborators from across the world gathered in person or virtually to exchange on the important yet complex topic of child maltreatment and its intergenerational continuity across cultures. This outreach event aimed to: (1) disseminate diverse and cutting-edge scientific knowledge to a wide audience; (2) facilitate rich and constructive interactions and conversations between international researchers and stakeholders in the Quebec child protection sector; and (3) shape a strategic agenda for ways to further research and practice in the field.

Throughout the first part of the event, there were 10 presentations by members of the Global Collaboration on Traumatic Stress (GCTS) on a variety of topics. Specifically, the overarching themes of the presentations included discussions on intergenerational cycles of child maltreatment and trauma, cultural norms surrounding child maltreatment, parenting practices, intimate partner violence, psychosocial interventions, and social and educational outcomes of child maltreatment globally.

The event started with a presentation that explored intergenerational (dis)continuity of child maltreatment by defining key concepts, reviewing existing epidemiological data, theories, and empirical evidence regarding intergenerational cycles of maltreatment, while also identifying gaps in research, and offering recommendations for future research, prevention, and interventions (Langevin, 2025). Expanding on this, several international researchers shared their findings, offering valuable insights into: (1) a three generational study with grandmothers, mothers, and children, regarding intergenerational cycles of intimate partner violence in Cameroon, an understudied region with high rates of intimate partner violence (Wadji et al., 2025); a systematic review on the intergenerational continuity of family violence in non-Western countries, by exploring regional differences, and identifying key risk and protective factors (Balle et al., 2025); and (3) two studies on corporal punishment and parenting practices of parents from different high-income countries, with a focus on the implications for theory, practice, research, and policy (Gonzalez, 2025).

Four Student Fast Five presentations showcased doctoral students’ research on a range of topics, including exposure to trauma and early interventions (Jenkins et al., 2025), the association between maternal histories of maltreatment and mother-infant early bonding mediated by maternal dissociation (Pirro et al., 2025), youth resistance in the context of intimate partner violence (Nyirinkwaya, 2025), and the sociocultural and historical factors shaping experiences of child maltreatment (Kay et al., 2025). In addition, one presentation provided an overview of the Student Section of the GCTS, emphasizing the importance of ongoing student engagement and involvement in international trauma research.

During the afternoon, in person attendees from the GCTS participated in an insightful research-practice exchange on medical investigations and practices regarding child maltreatment in Quebec at the University Hospital Ste-Justine, with a focus on intervention within a multicultural context. Dr. Étienne Archambault presented on the nature of child protection services in Quebec and Canada. This presentation also addressed the clinical management of child protection cases, the roles of various health professionals throughout the process, and the procedures involved in these investigations. Thereafter, Dr. Tinh-Nhan Luong and Dr. Sima Saleh discussed the cultural implications faced by health professionals when addressing child maltreatment cases; they presented their clinical approach to working with families from multicultural backgrounds. The presentations were followed by a dynamic discussion with the GCTS researchers, centered on three main topics: (1) Intergenerational Maltreatment and Family Dynamics; (2) Cultural Challenges in the Assessment and Treatment of Maltreatment; and (3) Research-Practice Collaboration – Bridging Data and Clinical Practice. The conversation highlighted international differences in child protection services, and explored how cultural norms shape assessment, intervention, and procedural approaches. The discussion ended with a shared reflection on the global challenges of implementing effective and culturally sensitive child protection practices, as well as emphasized the importance of continued collaboration between researchers and practitioners to improve these systems.

On the second day of the event, the presentations began with an overview of the Child Trauma Network from the GCTS, highlighting international initiatives aiming at better understanding child maltreatment and its consequences across cultures (Pfaltz, 2025). Subsequent presentations explored a range of research topics, including: a cross-cultural survey examining culture-specific social norms regarding child maltreatment and their implications for survivors’ functioning (Bartoli et al., 2025); a literature review methodology on the effects of colonisation in bi-cultural Aotearoa New Zealand (Howard, 2025); the impact of complex post-traumatic stress disorder and trauma transmission in war-affected families (Bachem, 2025); posttraumatic stress symptoms and their prevention following childhood sexual abuse in Burundi (Crombach et al., 2025); and the association between child maltreatment and academic performance mediated by social anxiety and depression in Ethiopia (Mossie et al., 2025). These presentations emphasized the potential for interventions and prevention through a cross-cultural lens, with the aim of supporting the well-being of children, adolescents, and families across diverse contexts. As a whole, all the presentations throughout the 2-day event strongly aligned with the journal’s scope and underscored the importance of globally advancing research on child and adolescent resilience.

Furthermore, the second part of the event included a Child Maltreatment Forum, which brought together five panelists – namely, Nelson Pimentel (Interim Director of Youth Protection - CIUSSS Ouest-de-l’Île-de-Montréal – Batshaw Youth and Family Centres), Dr. Étienne Archambault (General Pediatrician – CHU Ste-Justine Hospital), Lisa Doucet (Program Manager/Intake Services – Batshaw Youth and Family Centres), Dr. Sonia Hélie (Institutional Researcher for Youth in Difficulty), and Lesley Hill (National Director of Youth Protection and Assistant Deputy Minister) – who are key stakeholders in Quebec working in child protection. The panelists discussed the complexities of addressing child maltreatment and highlighted how cultural and societal factors influence their work in approaching child protection. Their discussion spanned various domains, including policy and systems, healthcare, direct service and community engagement, child protection research and data, and legislation and advocacy.

Following the panel, small group discussions were held between the international researchers and stakeholders, including many field workers, in the Quebec child protection sector. These exchanges, aiming at fostering greater collaboration between research and practice in order to effectively address the challenges of child maltreatment prevention and intervention, focused on four key themes: (1) Innovative Approaches to Multicultural Sensitivity in Child Protection – Rethinking the System to Reduce Harm While Ensuring Safety; (2) The Role of Prevention Programs in Addressing Maltreatment Across Cultures; (3) The Cultural Norms and the Decision-Making Process in Child Protection; and (4) Research-Practice Collaboration.

This forum offered a valuable opportunity for international members of the GCTS and local stakeholders to exchange knowledge, share experiences, and collaboratively explore innovative strategies and approaches to advance both practice and research in the field of child maltreatment. Thus, the event also further aligned with the journal’s mission to promote global dialogue and research on child and adolescent resilience.

To conclude, this outreach event was part of Dr. Langevin’s subgroup in the GCTS, entitled “Assessing intergenerational continuity of trauma and child maltreatment across cultures” (IC-CROSS). The ongoing projects part of this subgroup can be found on the Child Trauma Network page of the GCTS website. Numerous other projects are also currently underway as part of the GCTS. To stay informed about ongoing projects and get involved, please visit the GCTS website: https://www.global-psychotrauma.net/. We encourage any interested parties (e.g., students, researchers, clinicians, advocates) to get involved in projects aligning with their interest and expertise, contributing to advancing research and practice in the field of traumatic stress.