Impact of Migration Trauma Exposure on Parent-Child Relationships Among Families from the Northern Triangle of Central America

Background: Exposure to traumatic events is linked to poorer mental health outcomes, especially among immigrant children who are vulnerable to trauma exposure (MacLean et al., 2020; McLaughlin & Lambert, 2017; Perreira & Ornelas, 2013). Mental health effects of migration trauma extend beyond the child to impact parent-child relationships, yet this process remains poorly understood. Parents can play an important role in mitigating some of the child’s maladaptive outcomes related to migration trauma exposure. Given the influx of immigrant children and families from the Northern Triangle of Central America (NTCA) resettling in the U.S., it's crucial to explore how their unique migration and resettlement experiences shape parent-child dynamics.

Methods: This qualitative study (N=16) investigates how migration experiences shape parent-child relationships among immigrant parents from NTCA resettled in the U.S. Grounded theory as an analytical approach illuminates the process of how migration-related traumatic experiences, including immigration detention, impacts parental wellbeing and parenting practices, and consequently parent-child relationships. Guided by ecological models of parenting, the study underscores the significance of these relationships in shaping child wellbeing within trauma-exposed immigrant families.

Results: Immigrant parents navigated distress, worry, and guilt stemming from past hardships and current stressors, including financial instability and immigration enforcement. Despite challenges, motivations such as children’s wellbeing and hopes for a better future drove resilience. Social support mitigated stress, enhancing parenting competence and communication with children. Parenting practices varied, with some parents emphasizing open communication about immigration challenges and trauma while others focused on monitoring and setting limits to protect their children from re-experiencing these traumas. Positive parenting strategies, such as instilling values of respect and discipline, buffered children from adverse environments. Changes in parenting practices influenced the parent-child relationship, fostering either reciprocal communication and closeness or conflict and tension. Despite adversity, all parents prioritized improving their relationships with their children.

Conclusion and Implications: This study adds nuance to the existing literature by highlighting immigrant parents’ strengths and efforts to maintain positive parent-child relationships amid migration-related stressors, underscoring the need for comprehensive support for immigrant families in the resettlement context. As social workers, providers, and social justice-oriented scholars, we must help immigrant families, in particular immigrant parents, in adjusting and transitioning to the U.S. to support parent well-being, encourage healthy parenting practices, and reinforce positive parent-child relationships. For example, social workers can help parents secure financial and material resources, as well as resources for childcare and health care, which in turn can give parents more time to have meaningful conversations and to advise and support their children, and consequently foster a more positive and mutually beneficial parent-child relationship.