Influence of Maternal Traumatic Experiences on Their Children's Mental Health Symptoms in Afghanistan

Caregivers play an essential role in shaping their child's mental health outcomes.

This paper aimed to characterize the association between caregiver and child mental health among a highly traumatized population.

A total of 813 pairs of children and their female caregiver (mostly mother) were included. The SDQ parent version measured child mental health problems, which were classified in four categories: internal only, external only, both and none. The LEC-5 and PCL-5 measured traumatic event exposure for the female caregiver and events were classified into meaningful categories based on type of event. Multiple logistic regressions were used to assess the four child mental problem categories.

Overall, 10.95% of the children had internal problems only, 27.55% had external problems only, 27.10% had both internal and external problems, and 8.25% were impaired by these problems in their daily life. Boys had more external problems than girls. There was an association between parental interpersonal violence exposure (RR = 1.97), collective violence (RR = 1.57), caused or witness harm (RR = 2.39), accidental injury (RR = 1.67) and their children combined internal and external problems. The number of events independently added to that risk (RR = 1.64). In gender stratified analyses, boys were at risk for combined problems for witnessing interpersonal violence (RR = 3.15) and girls for internal only problems for witnessing accidental injury (RR = 3.82).

Children with caregivers who have high levels of trauma exposure have an increased risk of developing mental health problems. Preventive measures have been developed and positively evaluated in Afghanistan such as preventing family and school violence. Providing screening and assessment of mental health problems in youth in primary care or other medical contact is also an important part of strengthening the health of the Afghan population.