Does Resilience Moderate the Relation Between Caregiver Behaviors and Post-Traumatic Symptoms in Young Adults?

Exposure to a potentially traumatic event (PTE) is not an uncommon experience for children and adolescents. After exposure to adverse events, youth may experience significant maladjustment and posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). As such, researchers continue investigating potential risk and protective factors contributing to youth post-trauma adjustment. Considering their critical role in children’s development, caregivers likely play a key role in youth post-trauma adjustment. However, the field lacks studies on caregiver behaviors following youth PTE exposure and on factors, such as resilience, that could influence how children respond to stress and caregiver environments. I aimed to evaluate: (a) how perceived caregiver practices, post childhood PTE exposure, influenced young adults’ current PTSS; and (b) whether resilience moderated the relation between perceived caregiver practices and young adults’ PTSS. Participants were 199 young adults (ages 18-25) who met criteria for at least one childhood PTE; recruited via several methods (SONA, flyers); and completed consents and surveys electronically (Qualtrics). Our results suggest that (a) parental involvement may protect against PTSS; (b) corporal punishment may exacerbate PTSS; and (c) positive parenting practices may be more influential than the absence of negative practices on PTSS. However, in our sample, (d) resilience did not moderate caregiver practices and current PTSS. Results and limitations were discussed in context of the extant literature. Findings underscore the need for continuing to investigate these relationships. Practically, caregivers and practitioners might benefit from actionable parenting strategies to foster resilience and mitigate the risk of PTSS following children’s trauma exposure.