Understanding the dyadic mental health of refugee parents and children after fleeing the 2022 Ukraine war

Kapel Levari, R., Aloni, R., & Ben-Ari, A. (2024). Understanding the dyadic mental health of refugee parents and children after fleeing the 2022 Ukraine war. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy.

War and displacement expose families to a heightened risk of mental health issues. These risks increase when both the parents and the children are exposed to trauma and develop mental health difficulties. This study investigated the prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other mental health issues among parents and children and the associations between them. The study included 50 dyads of children and parents who had arrived in Israel after fleeing the war in Ukraine. The study shows that parents and children of refugees show high levels of mental health difficulties. The children’s mental health is associated with the parent’s mental health. A deeper understanding of the challenges faced by refugee families can inform the development of targeted assistance programs and the recruitment and training of personnel in host countries.