Secondary Posttraumatic Growth in Children of Survivors of the 1994 Genocide: The Role of Childhood Trauma, Posttraumatic Stress, and Meaning-Making

Introduction: A strong link has been found between parental posttraumatic stress (PTS) symptoms and child psychopathology, including secondary PTS symptoms. However, research is scarce on the association between parental PTS symptoms and child secondary posttraumatic growth (PTG). The current study aimed to investigate associations between parental PTS symptoms and children's secondary PTG through childhood traumatic experiences, secondary PTS, and meaning-making among children of survivors of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda 26 years postgenocide. Method: A total of 305 Rwandan children of survivors (M-age = 23.31, SD = 2.42; 51.3% female), none of whom were alive during the genocide, were recruited through a Rwandan genocide survivor organization and completed an online survey. Path analysis was used to investigate two models of parental PTS symptoms (mother and father PTS symptoms). Results: As hypothesized, both models demonstrated adequate fit with the data. Neither mother's nor father's PTS symptoms were directly associated with children's secondary PTG. However, several significant indirect pathways were detected linking parental PTS symptoms to children's secondary PTG, including pathways via children's secondary PTS symptoms, childhood traumatic experiences, and children's meaning-making. Conclusion: Although longitudinal research is needed for a more robust examination of these pathways, the findings provide insight into the pathways linking parental PTS to children's secondary PTG, and highlight the potential for meaning-making interventions to facilitate secondary PTG.