Samenvatting

Traumatic experiences and post-traumatic stress disorder have been linked to increased aggression and child abuse. Surprisingly, a dearth of studies investigates the impact of trauma on fatherhood. The present study investigates the extent of father-involvement and the influence of post-traumatic stress on the parent-child relationship in a refugee and asylum seeker population (N = 80). The results show that fathers were less involved in care-giving. Traumatic stress symptoms negatively affected the perception and the actual quality of parent-child interaction likewise posttraumatic stress influences the quality of mother-child interaction. The levels of observed hostility and reported aggression are a particular concern.