Culture and the intergenerational transmission of substance abuse, woman abuse, and child abuse: A diathesis-stress perspective

This manuscript focuses on culture as moderating the transmission of substa nce abuse and spouse abuse to impact child well-being in families across ge nerations. Within the context of a diathesis-stress model, the authors prop ose that it is the interaction between particular internal factors, such as biochemical, genetic, and/or psychosocial factors, and external factors th at is critical in understanding intergenerational transmission. Based on a review of related literature, the authors suggest a nonlinear dynamic persp ective on intergenerational transmission that maintains a presumption of cu ltural and ethnic "environment" distinctly interacting with genetics and ph ysiology to produce self-reinforcing behaviors that may be passed from one generation to another.