Maternal Perceptions and Responsiveness to Cry in Armed Conflict Zones: Links to Child Behavioral Problems

• In Event: Mother-Child Relationships and Early Child Development in Different Cultures

Abstract

Introduction: Young children living in armed conflict zones are at risk for developmental difficulties, especially behavioral problems. Research has indicated that parental perceptions and practices are significant mediators in the context of exposure to armed conflict. Living in areas where there is chronic, high exposure to missile warning alarms (auditory stress) may affect maternal perceptions as well as responsiveness to auditory sounds, including child cry (“a human alarm”).
Hypotheses: Group differences in child behavioral problems as well as differences in maternal cry perceptions and responsiveness to cry were investigated in high- versus low-exposure groups. Furthermore, to better understand the underlying processes of child behavioral problems in the context of armed conflict, a mediation model proposing that maternal perception would be associated with child behavior problems through maternal responsiveness to cry was examined for each group. We proposed that for the high-exposure group, the mediation model would be more robust when compared to the low-exposure group because children would be more vulnerable and may need their mother’s response to be immediate.
Study population: Hundred thirty-one mothers and their firstborn children (10-45 months of age) were recruited from two areas: high-exposure (n = 45) and low-exposure (n = 86) to missile warning alarms.
Methods: Mothers were recruited through woman’s health centers, kindergartens, and online advertisements. Home visits were conducted with interested families. During the home visit, mothers performed two computerized tasks concerning child crying and completed a questionnaire booklet.
Results: Results indicated group differences in child externalizing behavioral problems as well as maternal auditory aversiveness to cry. A significant mediation model was found, indicating that maternal perception of cry was associated with child behavioral problems, mediated by maternal responsiveness and moderated by exposure group. Maternal responsiveness to cry mediated the relation between maternal perception of child distress and child internalizing and externalizing behavioral problems only for the high-exposure group. Implications for understanding pathways between maternal perceptions of cry and maternal responsiveness and child behavioral problems in the context of exposure to armed conflict are discussed.

Authors

• Kinneret Levavi, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
  Presenting Author

• Porat Yakov, Ben Gurion University of the Negev
  Non-Presenting Author

• Alison Pike, University of Sussex
  Non-Presenting Author

• Kirby Deater-Deckard, University of Massachusetts Amherst
  Non-Presenting Author

• Naama Atzaba-Poria, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
  Non-Presenting Author