Key takeaways for caregivers
- Mothers play a crucial role in shaping the mental health of their refugee children (eight to 18 years old) through the parenting they provide.
- The mental health of refugee mothers is associated with their children’s mental health.
- Supporting maternal mental health is important for improving the mental health of child refugees.
Families are challenged by exposure to war and displacement
Millions of families across the globe are experiencing war and are forced to flee their homes. Not surprisingly, these experiences put children and their caregivers at high risk for mental health problems such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety.
Mental health support for children is critical
In addition to the often-traumatic effects of being exposed to war, instability and lack of resources during displacement further exacerbate this vulnerability for psychopathology, making mental health support critical. Living in overcrowded and often unsanitary conditions, these families face daily stressors that can severely affect their mental health. The frequent lack of educational and recreational opportunities for children further adds to their uncertainty and hopelessness.
Primary caregivers play an essential role
Several studies have shown that primary caregivers, especially mothers, play an important role for children’s well-being in the challenging context of war and displacement. The support mothers provide can protect their children from the adverse effects of displacement, but research on refugees also reveals that poor maternal mental health is linked to greater emotional and behavioral challenges in refugee children.
To understand how best to support refugee families, it is crucial to explore the complex relations among exposure to war, the conditions of displacement, and mothers’ mental health and parenting practices as they relate to the well-being of their children.
What did we study?
In a recent study of families living in refugee settlements, we investigated the role of mothers in their children’s mental health. We sought to explore how the experience of war and displacement affected mothers’ mental health, as well as how maternal mental health in turn affected children’s well-being directly and indirectly through mothers’ parenting. The refugee families had all left Syria between 2013 and 2017, during wartime, and currently lived in an informal tented settlement in Lebanon.
We focused on mothers because they tend to be the primary caregivers in refugee families, with fathers often being absent for various reasons, including their efforts to protect their families.
How did we carry out our study?
Our study included 1,446 Syrian refugee mothers and their children, aged eight to 18 years, living in informal refugee settlements in Lebanon during their study participation (between 2017 and 2019). Mothers completed questionnaires about their experiences of stress, depression, and anxiety; their parenting behaviors and practices; and the quality of their living conditions during displacement (e.g., whether basic needs were met, and the quality of housing, the level of community support, and access to services).
Children completed questionnaires about their mental health. We then applied a statistical analysis method called structural equation modeling to analyze the data and test the direct and indirect pathways among all measures. This method helped us study the intricate dynamics of family life in refugee settings and allowed us to explore how maternal well-being affected children’s mental health.
The pivotal influence of mothers on their children’s mental health
Maternal mental health influenced the quality of mothers’ parenting which, in turn, affected the children’s mental health, we found. For example, mothers with more mental health problems were more likely to engage in negative parenting practices, such as being harsh, which was associated with a higher risk for PTSD and depression in their children.
Maternal mental health influenced the quality of mothers’ parenting which, in turn, affected the children’s mental health.
In contrast, mothers with better mental health engaged in more supportive and caring parenting practices, and these were associated with fewer psychological issues in their children. These findings highlight the importance of good maternal mental health and supportive parenting for children’s mental health.
We also explored the role of the current living conditions (e.g., access to clean water, housing quality, community resources) in supporting children’s mental health. The environment in which families lived affected children’s mental health indirectly by affecting mothers’ mental health and consequently, mothers’ ability to provide supportive parenting.
In other words, when mothers felt supported by the community and had access to resources, their mental health was better. This improvement in mental health was associated with more supportive parenting and therefore contributed to better mental health in the children.
What are the implications of this research?
Our findings highlight the need for interventions that support both mothers and children. Providing psychological support to mothers may improve their mental health, leading to better parenting practices and healthier mental states for their children.
Social support networks and community-based programs that offer counseling as well as parenting workshops may be particularly effective in helping mothers who are struggling with their mental health as a result of war and displacement.
Additionally, policies aimed at improving living conditions in refugee camps, such as ensuring access to health care, education, and safe housing, are not only important for current well-being but may also benefit mental health in the long term. Hence, it is essential for aid organizations to adopt a family-centric approach, recognizing that the well-being of mothers influences the well-being of their children both directly and indirectly.
Empowering mothers with skills and support can have a transformative impact on the entire family, promoting resilience and psychological health.
Conclusion
Our study underscores the importance of maternal mental health in shaping the mental health of refugee children. Improving living conditions during displacement, such as by meeting basic needs and ensuring access to services, and addressing the psychological needs of refugee mothers, can enhance the resilience and well-being of displaced families.
Investing in maternal mental health is not just beneficial for mothers. It has a profound impact on the next generation, helping break the cycle of trauma and fostering a more hopeful future for refugee children.
Our findings call for a holistic approach to humanitarian aid, one that recognizes and supports the interdependent relationships within families rather than focusing just on individuals.
Mothers can significantly influence their children’s recovery and adaptation in post-trauma contexts. Therefore, targeted interventions that focus on maternal mental health and effective parenting practices should be a priority in refugee assistance programs given that improvements in maternal mental health and parenting quality will likely benefit children’s mental health.
Our study provides valuable insights and a solid foundation for developing strategies that can make a real difference in the lives of refugee families. While our findings are specific to Syrian refugees and eight- to 18-year-old children, they can be broadly applied to the experiences of other refugee populations and likely apply to non-refugee contexts as well.
Our findings call for a holistic approach to humanitarian aid, one that recognizes and supports the interdependent relationships within families rather than focusing just on individuals.
It is crucial to create safe spaces in refugee settlements where mothers and children can access psychological services, engage in supportive community activities, and receive education about mental health and effective parenting. Fostering environments where families can heal and thrive can pave the way for a more stable and hopeful future for refugee communities.