Attachment and Human Development
Volume 18, Issue 3, 2016, Pages 273-291

Parental PTSD, adverse parenting and child attachment in a refugee sample (Article)

van Ee E.* , Kleber R.J. , Jongmans M.J. , Mooren T.T.M. , Out D.
  • a Centrum ’45, Diemen, Netherlands
  • b Department Clinical and Health Psychology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
  • c Department Special Education, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
  • d Centrum ’45, Diemen, Netherlands
  • e Centre for Child and Family Studies, Institute of Education and Child Studies, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands

Abstract

ABSTRACT: In contrast with traumatic experiences, there is a dearth of studies on the link between trauma symptoms, disconnected (frightened, threatening and dissociative) parenting behavior, extremely insensitive parenting behavior and child attachment. This study extends previous work on the impact of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) on families by studying the unique contribution of disconnected and extremely insensitive parenting behavior on child attachment in a highly traumatized sample of 68 asylum seekers and refugees and their children (18–42 months). The results show that parental symptoms of PTSD are directly related to children’s insecure attachment and disorganized attachment. The greatest proportion of the risk could be attributed to factors related to the dyad and not the family. A mediation effect of adverse parenting behavior was not confirmed. On the one hand the results indicate the need for an effective treatment of PTSD symptomatology while on the other hand the results indicate the need for clinical attention to insecure attachment relationships. © 2016 Taylor & Francis.

Author Keywords

Parent Attachment PTSD adverse caregiving Refugee

Index Keywords

Parents refugee human Refugees object relation Object Attachment Surveys and Questionnaires Young Adult Humans psychology preschool child Infant Child, Preschool questionnaire Parenting adult posttraumatic stress disorder Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic pathophysiology child parent relation parent
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84961254281&doi=10.1080%2f14616734.2016.1148748&partnerID=40&md5=30a9e69e2d42784aa1d6dae691831371
DOI: 10.1080/14616734.2016.1148748
ISSN: 14616734
Cited by: 18
Original Language: English