University of Fukui Apr 11 2025 Childhood maltreatment (CM) is a complex issue that is often passed on through generations. Studies have shown that parents who were abused as children may perpetuate a similar pattern of mistreating their children, creating a vicious cycle of abuse. A key factor in perpetuating this cycle is impaired empathy in parents who grew up in abusive environments. Simply put, parental empathy, the ability to understand and respond to children's emotions, plays a critical