Citation

Gewirtz AH, Forgatch M, Wieling E. J. Marital Fam. Ther. 2008; 34(2): 177-192.

Affiliation

Department of Family Social Sciences & Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA. agewirtz@umn.edu

Copyright

(Copyright © 2008, American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/j.1752-0606.2008.00063.x

PMID

18412825

Abstract

Trauma research has identified a link between parental adjustment and children's functioning and the sometimes ensuing intergenerational impact of traumatic events. The effects of traumatic events on children have been demonstrated to be mediated through their impact on children's parents. However, until now, little consideration has been given to the separate and more proximal mechanism of parenting practices as potential mediators between children's adjustment and traumatic events. To shed some light in this arena, we review literature on trauma, adversity, and resilience, and discuss how parenting practices may mediate trauma and adverse environmental contexts. Using a social interaction learning perspective (Forgatch & Knutson, 2002; Patterson, 2005), we propose a prevention research framework to examine the role that parenting practices may play in influencing children's adjustment in the wake of trauma exposure. The article concludes by providing a specific model and role for evidence-based parenting interventions for children exposed to mass trauma.

Language: en