Post-traumatic stress symptoms and parenting in military families: A systematic integrative review
Research Report:
Research SummaryAPA Citation:
Gupta, A., Gewirtz, A. H., & Borden, L. M. (2023). Post-traumatic stress symptoms and parenting in military families: A systematic integrative review. Journal of Family Theory & Review, 15(4), 822-844. https://doi.org/10.1111/jftr.12530
Abstract Created by REACH:
This systematic integrative review summarized more than a decade of military family research on the relationship between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and parenting. Across the 27 empirical studies included in this review, 5 distinct domains of parenting emerged: parenting practices, alliance (e.g., cooperation between parents), stress, efficacy (i.e., sense of confidence in parental role), and sensitivity (i.e., a parent’s ability to notice and interpret their child’s signals). Overall, PTSD symptoms were related to all 5 parenting domains; in general, higher PTSD symptom levels were related to more parenting challenges for military families.
Focus:
Parents
Mental health
Branch of Service:
Multiple branches
Military Affiliation:
Active Duty
Subject Affiliation:
Military families
Population:
Young adulthood (18 - 29 yrs)
Adulthood (18 yrs & older)
Thirties (30 - 39 yrs)
Middle age (40 - 64 yrs)
Methodology:
Review of Literature
Authors:
Gupta, Aditi, Gewirtz, Abigail H., Borden, Lynn M.
Abstract:
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among service members portends substantial impairments not only for the affected individual but also for their families. However, the association between PTSD symptoms and specific parenting domains remains understudied. Drawing upon the Military Family Stress Model and the Cognitive Behavioral Interpersonal Theory of PTSD, this systematic review provides an overview and synthesis of the literature on PTSD symptoms and parenting in military families with the objective to examine associations between parental PTSD symptoms and key parenting domains. Following PRISMA guidelines, 27 empirical studies were reviewed. Five distinct parenting domains emerged across studies. The findings indicated that greater PTSD symptoms were generally associated with adverse parenting outcomes with some variation across different parenting domains, such that some parenting outcomes showed more consistent negative associations with parental PTSD symptoms than others. These results have significant implications for research and practice, providing insight for family-focused intervention/prevention studies.
Publisher/Sponsoring Organization:
Wiley Online
Publication Type:
Article
REACH Publication
Author Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Research and Education Advancing Children's Health Institute, Arizona State University, AG
Department of Psychology, Research and Education Advancing Children's Health Institute, Arizona State University, AHG
University of Minnesota Extension, LMB
Keywords:
PTSD, parenting outcomes
REACH Publication Type:
Research Summary
Sponsors:
This work was supported through funding awarded to the first author by the Department of Psychology, Arizona State University.
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