Disruptive and adaptive effects of war exposure on mother-infant bonding

Objective: Exposure to war profoundly impacts psychological health and may impair early mother–infant, posing a risk to the long-term mother–child relationship and. This study investigated the direct and indirect links between cumulative war exposure and different war-related stressors (direct exposure, and loss, secondary exposure, and) and bonding impairment. Maternal posttraumatic responses (posttraumatic stress and symptoms) were tested as. 

Method: A sample of 555 Israeli postpartum women (Mage = 33.23, = 4.63), with infants ranging from 1 to 12 months old (M = 5.16, SD = 2.92), completed measures of war exposure, posttraumatic responses, bonding impairment, and infant . 

Results: Greater cumulative war exposure predicted higher maternal posttraumatic responses, which, in turn, were associated with greater bonding impairment. Simultaneously, a direct negative path emerged between cumulative exposure and bonding impairment, with higher exposure linked to lower bonding impairment. In analyzing the distinct stressors, bereavement and loss showed a direct negative path, but an indirect positive path (via posttraumatic responses), to bonding impairment. Direct exposure and instability were also linked to greater bonding impairment indirectly, via higher maternal posttraumatic responses. Secondary exposure showed no significant effects. 

Conclusions: These results highlight the dual impact of war exposure, where maternal undermines bonding while certain exposures may elicit adaptive caregiving responses. Interventions that alleviate maternal posttraumatic distress while strengthening adaptive caregiving behaviors are essential for reducing the risk of bonding impairment in the context of war-related adversity.