The role of maternal stress and parenting style in the development of child stress in the context of armed conflict

Context and relevance. The mental health of mothers and children in the context of armed conflict is a critically important issue. Research indicates that maternal stress and maladaptive parenting styles are key mediators in the transmission of the psychological consequences of trauma from mother to child, even in the absence of the child's direct exposure to combat. However, the nature of the influence of distance from the conflict zone on these processes and the unique contribution of maternal stress and parenting practices to child stress, after accounting for the regional factor, remain unclear. Objective. To assess the influence of proximity to the combat zone on the level of maternal stress, parenting styles, and child stress, as well as to determine the unique contribution of maternal stress and parenting practices to the level of child stress after controlling for the influence of the regional factor. Hypotheses. 1) Distance from the combat zone is negatively associated with the level of maternal stress, negative parenting styles, and the level of child stress. 2) Maternal stress and parenting style make a unique contribution to the child's stress level that cannot be explained solely by the adverse regional environment. Methods and materials. The study involved 3544 mothers of preschool-aged children (maternal ages: M = 35.87, SD = 5.43) residing in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), the Republic of Crimea, and other regions of Russia. Russian-language versions of questionnaires were used: the Perceived Stress Scale (assessment of maternal stress), the Perceived Stress Scale for Children (mother's assessment of child stress), and the Parenting Practices Questionnaire (identification of parenting types: positive, inconsistent, use of punishments). Data analysis employed descriptive statistics, cluster analysis, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and hierarchical regression. Results. The level of maternal stress decreased linearly with increasing distance from the conflict zone. The level of child stress and the use of a punitive inconsistent parenting style were significantly higher in the DPR but did not differ between Crimea and other regions. Hierarchical regression analysis showed that maternal stress and, especially, the punitive inconsistent parenting style make a unique and significant contribution to the level of child stress, exceeding the influence of the regional factor. Conclusions. Parenting styles are an independent and the most powerful risk factor for the development of child stress. The obtained results emphasize the necessity for comprehensive interventions aimed simultaneously at reducing maternal stress and correcting parenting practices, both in active conflict zones and in relatively prosperous regions.

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