Event centrality and secondary traumatization among Holocaust survivors' offspring and grandchildren: A three-generation study

Family involvement and secondary traumatization in Holocaust survivor families: An actor–partner interdependence model.

“…Specifically, the results show that only in Holocaust families a link was found between G2 family involvement and G3 secondary traumatization. This finding supports earlier studies that highlight specific mechanisms in intergenerational transmission of the trauma of the Holocaust in subsequent generations (e.g., Greenblatt-Kimron et al, 2021) and adds to the evidence that a dominant factor for intergenerational transmission of the Holocaust is the family atmosphere (Danieli et al, 2016;Giladi & Bell, 2013;Palgi et al, 2015). An important finding of this study is the link found in the opposite direction between Holocaust G3 family involvement and secondary traumatization of his parent-Holocaust G2.…”

“…That is, whether there are within-generation relationships or actor effects between family involvement and secondary FAMILY INVOLVEMENT IN HOLOCAUST FAMILIES traumatization (e.g., whether parents' family involvement relates to parents' traumatization), and between-generation relationships or partner effects: that is, Holocaust G2 family involvement affects Holocaust G3 secondary traumatization and vice versa (i.e., Holocaust G3 involvement affects Holocaust G2 traumatization). First, based on findings that showed trauma transmission across generations (e.g., Greenblatt-Kimron et al, 2021;Letzter-Pouw et al, 2014), it was hypothesized that Holocaust G2 and G3 would report greater levels of family involvement and higher levels of secondary traumatization than G2 and G3 comparisons of European origin whose parents or grandparents were not under Nazi/pro-Nazi domination, respectively. Second, based on previous findings (e.g., Palgi et al, 2015), it was hypothesized that greater family involvement would be positively related to higher levels of secondary traumatization among Holocaust G2 and G3.…”

“…Other more sensitive factors that have been examined in Holocaust G2 and G3 include intergenerational awareness of the family atmosphere (Palgi et al, 2015). Furthermore, more complex examinations of relationships show that there is a transfer of psychopathology, that is, trauma, to future generations (Greenblatt-Kimron et al, 2021; Letzter-Pouw et al, 2014). Nevertheless, secondary traumatization among Holocaust G2 and G3 has been understudied (Greenblatt-Kimron et al, 2021; Shrira et al, 2017), and in particular, the investigation of the interpersonal effects of the family atmosphere in survivors’ families.…”

“…Furthermore, more complex examinations of relationships show that there is a transfer of psychopathology, that is, trauma, to future generations (Greenblatt-Kimron et al, 2021; Letzter-Pouw et al, 2014). Nevertheless, secondary traumatization among Holocaust G2 and G3 has been understudied (Greenblatt-Kimron et al, 2021; Shrira et al, 2017), and in particular, the investigation of the interpersonal effects of the family atmosphere in survivors’ families. The current study; therefore, focused on the interpersonal transmission of Holocaust trauma, and assessed family involvement and secondary traumatization in Holocaust G2 and G3.…”

“…The symptoms are similar to those of PTSD; however, they are not generated from direct exposure, rather from the awareness of the trauma experienced by someone else (Figley, 1995; Motta et al, 2001). Among the limited studies that investigated secondary traumatization in Holocaust survivor families, it was found that Holocaust G2 reported higher secondary traumatization than comparisons (Giladi & Bell, 2013; Greenblatt-Kimron et al, 2021; Hoffman & Shrira, 2019; Shrira, 2016). This finding was recently duplicated in Holocaust G3 (Greenblatt-Kimron et al, 2021), although the pattern of results for Holocaust G3 is generally mixed (Payne & Berle, 2021).…”