Early Parent–Child Relationship in the Shadow of War-Related Trauma: A Systematic Review

Abstract

War-related trauma has detrimental effects on millions of individuals worldwide, including infants, toddlers, and their parents. Among various adverse outcomes, this trauma may significantly disrupt the essential sense of security crucial for fostering a healthy early parent–child relationship. Yet, research on the effects of war-related trauma on parent–child relationships remains limited. This study aimed to bridge this gap by synthesizing evidence from empirical studies focused on war-related trauma and early parent–child relationship outcomes from 0 to 3 years. Studies were identified by searching across multiple databases. The inclusion criteria encompassed studies examining the effects of exposure to war, armed conflict, or terrorism, focusing on the parent–young child relationship, published in English, peer-reviewed, and accessible. Eleven studies, published in 23 articles, met these criteria. The research findings revealed various impacts on the parent–child relationship due to exposure to war-related trauma. Notably, parents’ emotional distress and post-traumatic stress disorder, rather than their direct trauma exposure, were associated with adverse parent–child relational outcomes within the parent–child relationship, such as parents’ insensitive, inconsistent, hostile, and anxious behaviors toward their children, as well as children’s vigilance and unresponsive behaviors toward their parents. This research indicates various ways that war-related trauma may impact early parent–child relationships, highlighting directions for future research and offering insights that could assist in developing trauma-informed interventions focused on parent–child dyads experiencing war-related adversity.