Legacy of the GDR: regional disparities in childhood maltreatment in post-unification Germany

Previous research has identified growing up in the former German Democratic Republic (GDR) as a protective factor against childhood abuse and neglect compared to growing up in the former Federal Republic of Germany (FRG). This study investigates whether these differences persist among individuals born after German reunification, providing a novel focus on the post-unification generation and the possible transgenerational transmission of childhood maltreatment in Germany.

The prevalence of self-reported abusive and neglected childhood experiences among 17- to 31-year-olds, stratified by gender and socio-political context (East/West), was examined using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ). Data of the German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents (KIGGS-study) between 2014 and 2017 was used. Logistic regression models were used to assess the influence of covariates such as age, subjective social status, and education on childhood trauma experiences.

Altogether, 18.6% (East = 15.8%/ West = 19.0%) of the N = 5,982 participants reported at least one type of maltreatment. The prevalence of at least moderate abuse was found to be 6.8% (East = 5.8%/West = 7.0%) for emotional, 3.7% (East = 2.4%/West = 3.9%) for physical, and 3.3% (East = 1.9%/West = 3.6%) for sexual abuse, and a prevalence of 9.2% (East = 8.5%/West = 9.3%) for emotional and 8.7% (East = 7.4%/West = 8.9%) for physical neglect. Individuals residing in eastern German regions reported significant lower prevalence rates for sexual and physical abuse, as well as overall maltreatment.

Significant regional disparities in childhood maltreatment were observed among individuals raised in post-unification Germany, suggesting the persistence of sociopolitical influences from the former GDR as a protective factor. These findings underscore the importance of understanding transgenerational transmission factors of childhood maltreatment, such as parenting behaviors within differing sociopolitical contexts. The results have important implications for child welfare policies, emphasizing the need to address regional disparities and to incorporate historical and sociopolitical factors into future research and intervention strategies.