TY - JOUR
T1 - War exposure and maternal reactions in the psychological adjustment of children from Bosnia-Hercegovina.
AU - Smith, P
AU - Perrin, S
AU - Yule, W
AU - Rabe-Hesketh, S
PY - 2001
Y1 - 2001
N2 - As part of a UNICEF-sponsored Psychosocial Programme in Bosnia, data were collected from a representative sample of 339 children aged 9-14 years, their mothers, and their teachers in order to investigate risk and moderating factors in childrens psychological reactions to war. Self-report data from children revealed high levels of post-traumatic stress symptoms and grief reactions, but normal levels of depression and anxiety. Mothers' self-reports also indicated high levels of post-traumatic stress reactions, but normal levels of depression and anxiety. Child distress was related to both their level of exposure and to maternal reactions. Structural equation modeling was used to quantify the relationships between these risk factors and child distress, and to examine putative pathways to account for the association between child and maternal health. Childrens adjustment was associated significantly with both exposure (phi = .37) and maternal mental health (phi = .37). Modeling also revealed a significant distorting effect of mother's own mental health on behavioural ratings of her child (psi = .59). Although evidence exists for an association between maternal mental health and mother rating errors, there is also a substantive association between maternal mental health and childrens adjustment following war.
AB - As part of a UNICEF-sponsored Psychosocial Programme in Bosnia, data were collected from a representative sample of 339 children aged 9-14 years, their mothers, and their teachers in order to investigate risk and moderating factors in childrens psychological reactions to war. Self-report data from children revealed high levels of post-traumatic stress symptoms and grief reactions, but normal levels of depression and anxiety. Mothers' self-reports also indicated high levels of post-traumatic stress reactions, but normal levels of depression and anxiety. Child distress was related to both their level of exposure and to maternal reactions. Structural equation modeling was used to quantify the relationships between these risk factors and child distress, and to examine putative pathways to account for the association between child and maternal health. Childrens adjustment was associated significantly with both exposure (phi = .37) and maternal mental health (phi = .37). Modeling also revealed a significant distorting effect of mother's own mental health on behavioural ratings of her child (psi = .59). Although evidence exists for an association between maternal mental health and mother rating errors, there is also a substantive association between maternal mental health and childrens adjustment following war.
U2 - 10.1111/1469-7610.00732
DO - 10.1111/1469-7610.00732
M3 - Article
SN - 1469-7610
VL - 42
SP - 395
EP - 404
JO - Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry
JF - Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry
IS - 3
ER -
