The Role of Fathers’ Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms and Dyadic Adjustment in the Intergeneration Transmission of Captivity Trauma

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to assess the longitudinal associations between the 1973 Israeli-Arab War ex-prisoners of war’s (ex-POWs) posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms (PTSS) and dyadic adjustment (DAS) and their adult offspring’s secondary PTSS and DAS. A sample of 124 Israeli father–child dyads has been examined (fathers at 2003 and 2008; offspring at 2013–2014). Results show that fathers’ PTSS and DAS mediated the link between war captivity and offspring’s secondary PTSS and DAS, respectively. The intergenerational transmission of captivity trauma is indirectly explained by the long-term effects of the fathers’ PTSS on their offspring’s secondary PTSS and DAS.

KEYWORDS:

• Captivity
• dyadic adjustment
• PTSD
• secondary traumatization

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Gadi Zerach

Gadi Zerach, PhD, is a clinical psychologist and a senior lecturer at the Department of Behavioral Sciences, Ariel University. Dr. Zerach’s research interests focus on the understanding of trauma and PTSD, secondary traumatization among trauma victims’ relatives, and the effect of trauma and PTSD on victims’ family environment.

Yaniv Kanat-Maymon

Yaniv Kanat-Maymon is an associate professor at the Baruch Ivcher School of Psychology, Interdisciplinary Center (IDC) Herzliya. His research interests focus on romantic relationships, parenting, and intrinsic motivation in the workplace and school.