Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 13, 2026

Rapid Fractionation and Isolation of Whole Blood Components in Samples Obtained from a Community-based Setting
Published on: November 30, 2015
'The cycle must stop here': Patterns of intergenerational transmission of traumatizing WWII experiences in three
Bart Nauta1, Huibertha Bastiaantje Mitima-Verloop1, Rosa-Lena Van der Maat1
1ARQ National Psychotrauma Centre, ARQ Centre of Expertise on War, Persecution and Violence, Nienoord 5, 1112, XE, Diemen, the Netherlands.
Abstract:
This study investigates the intergenerational consequences of World War II (WWII) experiences in the Netherlands. It explores how trauma and resilience were transmitted across three generations and the role of communication in shaping these patterns. In 2021 and 2022, thirty semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten families, each including one respondent from three generations. First-generation participants had experienced potentially traumatizing events, including persecution and wartime violence. Findings indicate that intergenerational impacts are heterogeneous: in some families, the second and third generations exhibited psychological effects related to the first generation's experiences, while in others, resilience and adaptive coping strategies predominated. Communication patterns varied and appeared to shape how generations experienced and interpreted past trauma, highlighting its potential role in intergenerational adaptation. Over time, families took deliberate steps to counteract negative patterns and foster resilience, and commemoration and reflection contributed to positive meaning-making. The results suggest that, 75 years after WWII, both adverse effects and resilience coexist across generations, with historical experiences serving as sources of both challenge and connection. Overall, this study provides a nuanced understanding of intergenerational transmission, emphasizing that the legacy of trauma can be intertwined with adaptive family processes and resilience.
More Related Videos
07:56Assessing the Coherence of Parents' Short Narratives Regarding their Child Using the Five-Minute Speech Sample Procedure
Published on: September 19, 2019
10:43Developing Neuroimaging Phenotypes of the Default Mode Network in PTSD: Integrating the Resting State, Working Memory, and Structural Connectivity
Published on: July 1, 2014
Related Concept Videos
Traumatic Memory
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
Symptoms and Behavioral Manifestations
A spectrum of distressing symptoms characterizes PTSD. Recurrent flashbacks, where individuals involuntarily relive traumatic events,...
Pedigree Analysis
Psychological and Sociocultural Causes of Schizophrenia
Repressed Memory
Bonanno's Theory of Grieving
Resilience