[Transcultural problems of child and adolescent psychiatry or sequelae of inverse migration? On diagnosis and treatment of children and adolescents of former East Germany in West Germany of the past].

Against a background discussion whether there has been a different cultural development within the two former German states, the question is raised, whether this possible difference could lead to different influences on psychiatric illness among children and adolescents. Problems in ethnological research in general together with problems found within cross cultural psychiatry are discussed. A study of a group of 19 children and adolescents, presenting at a psychiatric clinic with the historically significant if not seldom experience of inverse migration is described. From this population only n = 4 children appeared to be significantly affected by their new surroundings. It is proposed that further investigations is needed to ascertain whether the experience of inverse migration does indeed constitute a psychological stress for children and adolescents from the former GDR.