Background: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) in parental history have been associated with higher self-reported rates of negative parenting behaviors and lower self-reported rates of positive parenting behaviors. Further research is needed to explore the association between parental ACEs and the observed parent-child interaction quality. Parent-child interactions are a potential pathway behind the continuity of ACEs across generations. Objective: This review aimed to expand on existing literature by synthesizing evidence on the associations between parental ACEs and parent-child interactions, assessed through videotaped observations, the gold standard for interaction assessment. Methods: A systematic literature search conducted in October 2022 in Medline, EMBASE, and PsycInfo identified twenty-four articles. The studies assessed parental childhood adversity and the quality of parent-child interaction across high- and low-risk samples. Results: In 79% of studies, higher rates of childhood adversity were related to lower quality of observed parent-child interaction. Childhood abuse and neglect were linked to fewer positive and more negative parenting behaviors. Among household challenges, only witnessing family violence negatively impacted interaction quality. In 58% of studies, ACEs directly influenced interaction, while in 21% this effect was mediated by other factors. This pattern held across different sample types. Conclusions: The evidence suggesting a relationship between parental ACEs and lower quality of parent-child interaction is robust, given the reliability and validity of observational measures. Considering the influence of the quality of parent-child interaction on a child's development, interventions and prevention programs focusing on parent-child interaction should consider screening for parental ACEs.