The Role of Family in Children with PTSD after Natural Disasters

Abstract

Parents are the most important and reliable resource for their children to seeking for helps and support. Particularly in the aftermath of natural disasters, the role of family is considered to play an important and significant role in children with PTSD, either are risk factors or protective ones. In this paper, the literature in relation to the effects of family factors in children with PTSD are reviewed, with the aim of exploring both the risk and protective family factors associated with the PTSD symptoms in children. It is concluded that separation from families, parental psychopathology, and parent maladaptive coping strategies have been suggested o constitute risk factors, whereas positive parental emotionality, warm and open family environment have been found to be protective. Some critiques of PTSD concept, its cross-cultural validity, and assessment of children with PTSD are also revealed in this review.