Transgenerational trauma and resilience in post-communist Central Europe : A comparative study of survivors, their descendants, and control groups

Background

One way to explore the psychological consequences of state oppression is by focusing on the lasting effects on survivors and their descendants.

Objective

In the context of former Czechoslovakia, this study compares the experiences of two generations of families expelled from the country during the “Asanace” campaign with control groups of people whose families have not encountered any forms of oppression.

Method

Overall, 58 people participated; 29 from the first and second generations were matched with 29 controls. Questionnaires assessing the severity of stress and trauma-related symptoms, coping strategies, resilience, and family communication were administered.

Results

No significant differences were found between the first generation of survivors and the control group. The analysis revealed heightened vulnerability of the second generation as the group reported higher severity of stress and trauma-related symptoms and lower ability to recover from stress.

Conclusions

This study investigates the psychological consequences of state oppression on Czechoslovakian dissidents and their offspring, contributing to the understanding of historical trauma and resilience in post-totalitarian countries of Eastern and Central Europe.

Highlights

• This is the first study comparing trauma-related symptoms, coping, resilience, and family communication among Czechoslovakian dissidents and control groups.
• The first-generation survivors did not differ from the corresponding control group.
• The second generation reported the most severe trauma-related symptoms and the lowest resilience.