Adjustment Following Separation: Prevention of Child Maladjustment Following Parental Deployment to War

Abigail Gewirtz, Moshe Israelashvili

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterpeer-review

Abstract

An imposed separation from a parent could frequently lead to feelings of trauma and to major effects on the child’s mental health and adjustment. In such cases, the child’s adjustment is highly dependent on the remaining parent’s attitude and behaviors in the new circumstances. Deployment is an example of parental separation and, based on the military family stress model, is conceptualized as a family stressor, especially when parents show PTSD symptoms. Studies show that, for both genders, parenting practices and marital adjustment mediated the relationship between parents’ PTSD symptoms and children’s behavioral and emotional symptoms. The After Deployment, Adaptive Parenting Tools (ADAPT) program is targeted at families with children between the ages of 4 and 12. The program aims to improve six main parenting practices: (1) family problem-solving, (2) effective discipline, (3) positive involvement, (4) skill encouragement, (5) monitoring, and (6) emotion socialization. The findings suggest that the ADAPT program benefits parenting practices, parental mental health, and child adjustment, with findings showing particular benefits for higher risk fathers. ADAPT is now available in online, telehealth, workshop, group, and individual formats.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationPrevention of Maladjustment to Life Course Transitions
EditorsMoshe Israelashvili
Place of PublicationCham
PublisherSpringer International Publishing
Pages319-340
Number of pages22
ISBN (Electronic)9783031267000
ISBN (Print)9783031266997, 9783031267024
DOIs
StatePublished - 2023

Publication series

NameAdvances in Prevention Science
ISSN (Print)2625-2619
ISSN (Electronic)2625-2627

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