Younger parents and those with lower ability to understand their children’s emotional needs face significantly greater challenges maintaining effective parenting during wartime, according to a new study of displaced Israeli families conducted by researchers at University of Haifa during the Swords of Iron War.
The study, which surveyed 96 displaced parents who have coped with the challenges of their family’s obligations during the current war, found that older parents were more likely to report higher levels of parental efficacy than their younger counterparts, regardless of direct exposure to war-related events. While exposure alone did not predict changes in parenting efficacy, its effects were significantly moderated by both parental age and parental reflective functioning (PRF), the latter measuring a parent’s ability to understand and respond to their children’s internal emotional experiences.
“These findings highlight the importance of age and reflective capacity in determining how well parents adapt to the pressures of wartime parenting,” said Dr. Yael Enav, head of the Emotional Regulation and Mentalization Laboratory at University of Haifa and a clinical psychologist specializing in emotional challenges among children and adults. She conducted the study in collaboration with clinical psychologist Dr. Yael Mayer, head of the university’s BELONG Laboratory. The two also run Within the Heart, a University of Haifa initiative that focuses on the parent-child relationship as the most powerful source of healing.
Regression analysis revealed a layered relationship between exposure and efficacy. Using the Johnson-Neyman method, researchers identified that war exposure had a negative effect on parental efficacy for parents aged 27 to 35, but a positive one for those aged 46 to 52.
“This suggests that interventions targeting young parents and enhancing reflective capacities may be especially critical in contexts of extreme stress,” said Mayer. “Older parents may be drawing on decades of coping mechanisms and emotional regulation skills, which buffer them from destabilizing effects.”
In the first phase of analysis, parental age emerged as a significant predictor of efficacy, with older parents reporting greater confidence and competence in their parenting roles. War exposure and other factors showed no significant effect at this stage. In the second phase, both PRF and the quality of the parent-child relationship significantly contributed to explaining parental efficacy, increasing the explanatory power of the model by 35%.
The third phase focused on interactions. It showed that the association between war exposure and parental efficacy varied by parental age. Among older parents, greater exposure was associated with increased efficacy, while younger parents experienced the opposite effect. The interaction between war exposure and PRF was also significant. Although high levels of reflective functioning offered some protection, this was only effective under low to moderate stress. Under high exposure, PRF alone did not prevent declines in efficacy.
Further analysis confirmed a developmental pattern, for younger parents, increased exposure led to lower efficacy, whereas for older parents, it was associated with improved efficacy.
The study also underscored the critical role of strong parent-child relationships in maintaining parental efficacy during crisis. However, researchers caution that these relationships may be harder to sustain under war-related stress, particularly for younger parents. Many reported that their responsibilities felt more burdensome during the conflict due to the heightened emotional and physical demands of caring for children in unstable environments.
Though centered on displaced Israeli parents, the findings have global implications. Parents in conflict zones like Syria, Ukraine and Sudan face similar challenges. The research suggests that psychological protective factors, such as age-related resilience and PRF, can shape parenting outcomes even under extreme adversity. However, the researchers note that cultural differences in parenting norms, support systems and trauma histories must be taken into account when applying these findings internationally.
“Too often, humanitarian responses focus solely on children’s vulnerability,” said Enav. “But we can’t afford to overlook the parents. Supporting their mental health and parenting confidence is essential for family resilience and recovery. As primary caregivers, parents are the anchors of their children’s mental health.”
The researchers urge practitioners, policymakers and humanitarian organizations to consider age and reflective functioning when designing interventions for war-affected families. Programs that strengthen reflective parenting and provide age-sensitive support for young parents may be especially effective in mitigating the long-term effects of trauma and displacement.
