Hoffman Sarah J, Vukovich Maria M, Fulkerson Jayne, Gewirtz Abigail, Robertson Cheryl L, Fredkove Windy M, Gaugler Joseph
University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA.
University of Denver, CO, USA.
J Fam Nurs. 2023 Aug;29(3):288-300. doi: 10.1177/10748407231164747. Epub 2023 Apr 8.
The direct exposure to physical or psychological trauma from torture or war leads to well-documented individual health consequences. Less understood are the inclusive and intergenerational effects of war trauma on family systems and youth adjustment. The purpose was to examine mechanisms in war-affected families that explained the significant emotional and behavioral consequences of intergenerational trauma in youth through the use of multiple methods. Quantitative assessments of maternal and paternal caregivers and youth characterized associations between parent torture, parent mental health distress, parent physical health problems, family functioning, and youth adjustment. Narrative statements further contextualized processes through which the trauma of a parent impacted youth and family systems. The research was conducted in partnership with local, refugee-serving community-based organizations. The study sample included parents and youth in 96 Karen families, originating from Burma in Southeast Asia, who had been resettled to the United States through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program. Path analysis results indicated that parent torture (β = -0.173) had statistically significant negative direct effects on youth adjustment. Parent torture had a negative indirect effect on youth adjustment through the mental health (β = -0.345) and physical health problems of parents (β = -0.305), and youth gender (β = 0.126) and trauma exposure of youth (β = -0.048). Family functioning type demonstrated a positive direct effect on youth adjustment (β = 0.449). Family type had an indirect effect on youth adjustment through youth gender (β = 0.142), youth trauma exposure (β = -0.165), parent physical health problems (β = -0.202), and parent mental health (β = 0.509). The current study developed and tested the first model of intergenerational trauma's effects on the adjustment of Karen refugee youth. Results emphasize that individual recovery from torture must be accompanied by adjunct interventions focused on family systems and youth adjustment, to holistically address intergenerational sequala of trauma.
酷刑或战争造成的身体或心理创伤直接暴露会导致有充分记录的个人健康后果。战争创伤对家庭系统和青少年适应的广泛及代际影响则鲜为人知。本研究旨在通过多种方法，探究受战争影响家庭中的机制，这些机制解释了代际创伤对青少年产生的重大情绪和行为后果。对母亲、父亲照料者及青少年的定量评估描绘了父母遭受酷刑、父母心理健康困扰、父母身体健康问题、家庭功能与青少年适应之间的关联。叙事陈述进一步将父母创伤影响青少年及家庭系统的过程置于具体情境中。该研究是与当地服务难民的社区组织合作开展的。研究样本包括96个克伦族家庭中的父母和青少年，这些家庭来自东南亚的缅甸，通过美国难民接纳计划重新安置到美国。路径分析结果表明，父母遭受酷刑（β = -0.173）对青少年适应具有统计学上显著的负面直接影响。父母遭受酷刑通过父母的心理健康（β = -0.345）、身体健康问题（β = -0.305）、青少年性别（β = 0.126）和青少年的创伤暴露（β = -0.048）对青少年适应产生负面间接影响。家庭功能类型对青少年适应具有正向直接影响（β = 0.449）。家庭类型通过青少年性别（β = 0.142）、青少年创伤暴露（β = -0.165）、父母身体健康问题（β = -0.202）和父母心理健康（β = 0.509）对青少年适应产生间接影响。本研究构建并测试了首个代际创伤对克伦族难民青少年适应影响的模型。结果强调，从酷刑中恢复的个体必须辅以关注家庭系统和青少年适应的干预措施，以全面解决创伤的代际后遗症。
