title: The role of parenting behaviors in childhood post-traumatic stress disorder: A meta-analytic review.
abstract: Studies that have examined the association between parenting behaviors and childhood post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have yielded mixed findings. To clarify the role of parenting in childhood PTSD we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of 14 studies that investigated the association between parenting and youth PTSD symptoms (total n=4010). Negative parenting behaviors (e.g. overprotection, hostility) accounted for 5.3% of the variance in childhood PTSD symptoms. Positive parenting behaviors (e.g. warmth, support) account for 2.0% of variance. The negative and positive parenting and child PTSD symptom associations did not statistically differ in magnitude. Moderator analyses indicated that methodological factors and trauma variables may affect the association between parenting and child PTSD. Most studies relied upon questionnaire measures of general parenting style, and studies were predominantly cross-sectional with weaker evidence found in longitudinal studies. Given the small number of high quality studies available, only provisional recommendations about the role of parenting in childhood PTSD are made.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology and Clinical Language Science, University of Reading, Reading RG6 6AL, UK; Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath BA2 7AY, UK.
authors.forename: Victoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Williamson
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology and Clinical Language Science, University of Reading, Reading RG6 6AL, UK.
authors.forename: Cathy
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Creswell
authors.affiliation: Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London WC1E 7HB, UK.
authors.forename: Pasco
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fearon
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath BA2 7AY, UK.
authors.forename: Rachel M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Hiller
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath BA2 7AY, UK.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Walker
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath BA2 7AY, UK. Electronic address: s.l.halligan@bath.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Sarah L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Halligan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology*; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: Adolescent; Child; Meta-analysis; PTSD; Parenting; Trauma