Experiences of Intergenerational Trauma in Second-Generation Refugees: Healing Through Occupation

Abstract

Background. Trauma experienced in one generation can affect the health and well-being of subsequent generations, such as impairing life skills, personal contentment, behaviour patterns and sense of self. This phenomenon has predominantly been explored with descendants of European refugees and is not fully understood from an occupational perspective. Purpose. This research explores how intergenerational trauma manifests in the occupational lives of second-generation Ilankai Tamil and Vietnamese refugees. Methods. Using qualitative narrative inquiry, 12 adult children of Tamil and Vietnamese refugees residing in the Greater Toronto Area participated in semi-structured interviews. Narratives were thematically analysed. Findings. Findings illustrate how sociohistorical, cultural and familial contexts influence the way second-generation refugees view what they can and should do. Many healing responses to intergenerational trauma include occupations focused on communal care. Implications. Findings from this study reveal the unique struggles and needs of two understudied populations and the possibilities for healing through occupation.

Intergenerational Communication about Historical Trauma in Asian American Families

“…Donna Nagata, in her research on Japanese American survivors of incarceration during WWII, documented this silence: those who were incarcerated avoided discussing their experiences to avoid “burdening” the next generation, who then interpreted this silence as marking a past “too painful to discuss” (Nagata et al, 2015 , p. 362). Pervasive silence about the past has also been documented in other Asian diaspora families affected by historical trauma in the USA and Canada (Jeyasundaram et al, 2020 ; Lee & Clarke, 2013 ; Lin & Suyemoto, 2016 ; Lin et al, 2009 ). Silence may contribute to a lack of understanding between parents and children and increased family dysfunction.…”

“…The survivor generation’s trauma and resilience can be recognized, younger generations can learn about their ethnic group histories, and intergenerational communication can be opened. Hearing about their own family and community’s strength and survival can help Asian American immigrants and children of immigrants alike see their communities as resilient and instill radical hope for the future (Jeyasundaram et al, 2020 ). Such approaches may also be more accessible to general community populations than interventions labeled as “therapy.”…”

“…Parents may even feel their children’s lives are so much easier than their own childhoods that they minimize or dismiss any distress expressed by their children (Meschke & Juang, 2014 ). These messages can all contribute to children’s feelings of guilt and fear about disappointing their parents and ethnic community (e.g., by falling short of academic or professional expectations) and subsequently making major life decisions based on this fear (Jeyasundaram et al, 2020 ). Thus, historical trauma may arguably be a contributing factor in Asian immigrant parents’ preoccupation with academic success (Qin, 2008 ).…”

“…For the descendants of the survivor generation, positive intergenerational communication about historical trauma promotes closer parent–child relationships, which then promotes positive psychosocial outcomes and ethnic-racial identity development (Jeyasundaram et al, 2020 ; Lin & Suyemoto, 2016 ; Umaña-Taylor et al, 2014 ). Parents and children would be better able to understand each other across the differences in their cultural, generational, and historical contexts, and children would develop a clearer understanding of “where they’re from” (Jeyasundaram et al, 2020 ; p. 418). Situating themselves within an understanding that their ethnic group shares resilience, perseverance, and strength may also promote individual resilience through ethnic identity (Dalgaard et al, 2019 ; Ramirez & Hammack, 2014 ).…”

“…Lacking knowledge of their family history, children may not be able to develop a coherent and positive sense of identity (Lin et al, 2009 ). Children’s understanding of their parents' experiences is often limited to their own inferences and what their parents let slip during moments of conflict (Jeyasundaram et al, 2020 ; Lee & Clarke, 2013 ; Lin & Suyemoto, 2016 ; Lin et al, 2009 ). Intergenerational communication (including silence) about historical trauma has been identified as a major mechanism for the transmission of trauma’s cross-generational effects (Nagata & Cheng, 2003 ).…”