Trauma, adversity, and parent–child relationships among young children experiencing homelessness

08/01/2025 | PAXIS Institute |

This study examined experiences of adversity and potentially traumatic life events among 138 young children (56% female) residing with their families in emergency housing. Experiences of these children were examined from a developmental perspective, testing the impact of cumulative adversity on trauma symptoms, other emotional/behavior problems, and executive functioning in relation to the quality of observed parent-child interactions. Cumulative adversity was related to children’s trauma symptoms and total problem scores. Quality of observed parent- child interactions related to fewer child symptoms, congruent with a promotive role. Quality of parent-child interactions also moderated the associations between adversity and both specific trauma symptoms and broad emotional/behavior problems, consistent with an expected protective effect. Parenting quality was generally associated with better child executive functioning, consistent with a promotive rather than a protective effect among homeless children. Findings are discussed in the context of family homelessness, including chronic poverty and acute or ongoing adversity.

Citation: Herbers JE, Cutuli JJ, Monn AR, Narayan AJ, & Masten AS. 2014. Trauma, adversity, and parent–child relationships among young children experiencing homelessness. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 42, 1167-1174.

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