Protective factors, parenting and child abuse: An ecological model: An ecological model

The aim of the study was to evaluate the protective effects of parenting on child abuse using the ecological theory of Bronfenbrenner. 183 mothers, living in Hermosillo Sonora, a north-western city of Mexico, with a history of abuse participated in the study. Results were analyzed using structural equation modelling, showing that the protective factor is made up of exosystem, microsystem, and ontosystem variables, history of child abuse affected k factor and this variable moderated the effects of protective factors. Child abuse was predicted by history of abuse and the protective factor affected parenting moderating the effects of the mothers’ history of abuse.