Trauma Exposure in Relation to the Content of Mother-Child Emotional Conversations and Quality of Interaction

Mathilde M. Overbeek, Nina Koren-Karie, Adi Erez Ben-Haim, J. Clasien de Schipper, Patricia D. Dreier Gligoor and Carlo Schuengel
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Mathilde M. Overbeek: Section of Clinical Child and Family Studies, Vrije Universiteit, 1081 BT Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Nina Koren-Karie: School of Social Work, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, Israel
Adi Erez Ben-Haim: School of Social Work, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, Israel
J. Clasien de Schipper: Section of Clinical Child and Family Studies, Vrije Universiteit, 1081 BT Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Patricia D. Dreier Gligoor: Section of Clinical Child and Family Studies, Vrije Universiteit, 1081 BT Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Carlo Schuengel: Section of Clinical Child and Family Studies, Vrije Universiteit, 1081 BT Amsterdam, The Netherlands

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 16, issue 5, 1-15

Abstract: Parent-child conversations contribute to understanding and regulating children’s emotions. Similarities and differences in discussed topics, quality of interaction and coherence/elaboration in mother-child conversations about emotional experiences of the child were studied in dyads who had been exposed to interpersonal trauma (N = 213) and non-trauma-exposed dyads (N = 86). Results showed that in conversations about negative emotions, trauma-exposed children more often discussed trauma topics and focused less on relationship topics than non-trauma-exposed children. Trauma-exposed dyads found it more difficult to come up with a story. The most common topics chosen by dyads to discuss for each emotion were mostly similar between trauma-exposed dyads and non-trauma-exposed dyads. Dyads exposed to interpersonal traumatic events showed lower quality of interaction and less coherence/elaboration than dyads who had not experienced traumatic events. Discussion of traumatic topics was associated with lower quality of mother-child interaction and less coherent dialogues. In conclusion, the effect of the trauma is seen at several levels in mother-child interaction: topics, behavior and coherence. A focus on support in developing a secure relationship after trauma may be important for intervention.

Keywords: emotion conversation; emotion dialogue; mother-child interaction; parent-child communication; trauma exposure; marital violence; sexual abuse (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
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