The Inheritance Project: Exploring Intergenerational Trauma in Refugee Communities Affected by War and Political Violence
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Authors
Tkáčová, Veronika
Issue Date
2022-10
Type
Capstone
Language
en
Keywords
intergenerational trauma , refugee families , silence , child abuse , harsh parenting , attachment
Alternative Title
Abstract
This capstone explores three of several well-documented mechanisms of transmission of intergenerational trauma in refugee populations affected by war and political violence: silence about the trauma, harsh parenting, and child abuse, and disrupted attachment. Intergenerational trauma is examined in the context of systemic oppression and challenges faced by refugees in host countries, which inevitably interact with the functioning of the family system. This paper uses family systems theory and attachment theory as theoretical frameworks. The purpose of this capstone is to understand how trauma is transmitted from one generation to the next, in order to develop a mental health intervention. The capstone concludes with a proposed menta health intervention called The Inheritance Project, which provides a space for community support and sharing of information and resources for refugees and their offspring who have experienced intergenerational trauma.