Traumas may negatively affect the child’s life both by causing psychological disorders, such as PTSD, depression and phobias, and also by interacting with the emerging personality of the child. When the trauma occurs as a result of a disaster, all members of the family are affected. In such cases, PTSD symptoms displayed by other family members, especially parents, may cause secondary traumatization for the child or prolong the healing process.

 

This presentation aims to discuss the mechanisms parents’ traumatic stress symptoms affect the mental health of children, when all the family members are exposed to a traumatic event as in the case of natural or man made disasters.

 

The subject will be discussed based on findings from two studies in Turkey: 1. Kirikkale ammunition factory explosion in 1997 (Familial factors associated with post traumatic stress disorder symptoms in children; Kiliç E, Uslu R, Erden G, Kerimoglu E.-1999):  This study explored the PTSD symptoms the children had 6 months after an ammunition factory explosion in Kirikkale. The results of this study showed that children who showed higher PTSD scores came from families that scored lower on problem solving scale of Family Assessment Device.

 

2. Bolu earthquake; 1999. (The Psychological effects of parental mental health on children experiencing disaster: the experience of Bolu earthquake in Turkey; Kiliç EZ, Özgüven H, Sayil I.; 2003) This study examined the effects of parental psychopathology and family functioning on children’s psychological problems six months after the earthquake in Bolu, Turkey. The results showed that the severity of PTSD in children was mainly affected by the level of depression and presence of PTSD in the father. State and trait anxiety scores of children were related to general family functioning. 

 

The results of these studies show that when all members of a family are exposed to a traumatic event, the effects on members are amplified through the relational processes in the family.