The Role of Parental Posttraumatic Stress,Marital Adjustment,and Dyadic Self‐Disclosure in Intergenerational Transmission of Trauma: A Family System Approach |
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Authors: | Rahel Bachem Yafit Levin Xiao Zhou Gadi Zerach Zahava Solomon |
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Affiliation: | 1. University of Tel Aviv;2. I‐Core Research Center for Mass Trauma;3. Ariel University |
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Abstract: | Research indicates that posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) induced by war trauma may be transmitted to veterans’ wives and offspring (secondary traumatic stress; STS). However, the interplay between family members’ characteristics has not been accounted for in such processes. Taking a family systems perspective, we examine the contributions of fathers’ PTSS, mothers’ STS, marital adjustment, and self‐disclosure of both parents to offspring's STS and test whether marital quality applies as a mechanism of parent–child transmission. Combat veterans and former prisoners of war (N = 123), their spouses, and adult offspring were investigated in a multiple‐step mediation analysis. The results highlight the mother's crucial role in trauma transmission and suggest that strengthening the marital relationship may buffer the transmission of fathers’ PTSS to offspring. |
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