Parenting in Armed Political Conflict: Relationships Between Parental Efficacy, Reflective Functioning, and Age Among War-Displaced Families

Aim: This study examines the relationships between parental efficacy, parental reflective functioning, and parental age among a unique population of internally displaced Israeli parents. Parents were specifically examined to understand the interplay of parental efficacy, parental reflective functioning, and age as protective factors among displaced children. Through examining these variables, we seek to better understand how to buffer the negative effects of war and displacement on families with young children. Design: A cross-sectional design was employed to gather data pertaining to parents. This research was part of a larger parent–child dyadic intervention. The data presented here were gathered prior to the intervention from January 2024 to June 2024. Methods: In all, 97 displaced parents were met in person by the research team. Data pertaining to basic demographics, exposure to war, parental reflective functioning, parental efficacy, and the parent–child relationship were gathered. Information was gathered through online questionnaires using Qualtrics. One participant's responses were excluded due to missing data. Results: Younger parents (aged 27–35) exhibited reduced efficacy under high war exposure conditions, while older parents (aged 46–52) demonstrated increased efficacy. These decreases in efficacy became less pronounced in relation to higher age. This association was found to be insignificant for parents aged 35–46. Parental reflective functioning emerged as a protective factor against declining parental efficacy, buffering the effects of low and moderate war exposure, but diminished under high-stress conditions. Lastly, closer parent–child relationships were found to be associated with higher levels of parental efficacy regardless of war exposure levels. Conclusion: These results underscore the conditional nature of the impact of war on parenting, emphasising the importance of tailored interventions to support parents across different life stages and reflective capacities. This study highlights the need for targeted strategies to enhance parental efficacy and resilience, fostering better outcomes for families affected by conflict and displacement. Implications for the Profession and/or Patient Care: Age-appropriate considerations and interventions focusing on parental reflective functioning are imperative when working with parents of different ages affected by war and displacement. Impact: This study focused on parenting in wartime, specifically parental efficacy, reflective functioning, and parental age. We found younger parents demonstrate reduced efficacy under conditions of high war exposure, while older parents demonstrate increased efficacy under the same conditions. Additionally, parental reflective functioning buffers the negative effects of reduced parental efficacy among parents of all ages, but only under conditions of low war exposure. These findings are relevant to displaced families around the globe, in addition to families affected by exposure to war. Reporting Method: We adhered to the STROBE guidelines for reporting cross-sectional studies in this manuscript. Patient or Public Contribution: No patient or public contribution.