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Transgenerational transmission of trauma in families of Holocaust survivors: The consequences of extreme family functioning on resilience, Sense of Coherence, anxiety and depression

Author(s): Fossion, Pierre; Leys, Christophe; Vandeleur, Caroline; Kempenaers, Chantal; Braun, Stéphanie; Verbanck, Paul; Linkowski, Paul

Date: 2015

Topics: Holocaust Survivors, Holocaust Survivors: Children of, Main Topic: Holocaust and Memorial, Trauma, Age and Generational Issues, Ageing and the Elderly, Family and Household, Mental Health, Psychology/Psychiatry, Psychology

Abstract: Background The psychological transmission of the noxious effects of a major trauma from one generation to the next remains unclear. The present study aims to identify possible mechanisms explaining this transmission among families of Holocaust Survivors (HS). We hypothesized that the high level of depressive and anxiety disorders (DAD) among HS impairs family systems, which results in damaging coping strategies of their children (CHS) yielding a higher level of DAD. Methods 49 CHS completed the Resilience Scale for Adults, the Hopkins Symptom Check List-25, the 13-Item Sense of Coherence (SOC) scale, and the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Scale. We test a mediation model with Family types as the predictor; coping strategies (i.e. Resilience or SOC) as the mediator; and DAD as the outcome variable. Results Results confirm that the CHS׳ family types are more often damaged than in general population. Moreover, growing in a damaged family seems to impede development of coping strategies and, therefore, enhances the occurrence of DAD. Limitations The present investigation is correlational and should be confirmed by other prospective investigations. Conclusions At a theoretical level we propose a mechanism of transmission of the noxious effects of a major trauma from one generation to the next through family structure and coping strategies. At a clinical level, our results suggest to investigate the occurrence of trauma among parents of patients consulting for DAD and to reinforce their coping strategies.

The social circumstances of anxiety and its symptoms among Anglo-Jews

Author(s): Loewenthal, Kate Miriam; Goldblatt, Vivienne; Gorton, Tessa; Lubitsch, Guy; Bicknell, Helen; Fellowes, Deborah; Sowden, Amanda

Date: 1997

Topics: Haredi / Strictly Orthodox Jews, Main Topic: Other, Mental Health, Jewish Women, Gender, Psychology/Psychiatry

Abstract: In this community study of orthodox-affiliated Jews in London the social circumstances of anxiety were examined. By contrast with previous work on women in London, danger and early adversity bore only a weak relationship with anxiety in this sample. Eventfulness had the strongest relationship with anxiety of all the circumstances examined. Women were more likely to suffer from borderline anxiety than were men, but there were no gender differences in case anxiety. Women had more eventful lives than men but this could not solely account for gender differences in anxiety. Findings suggest the importance of cultural factors in aetiology.