Increased rate of depression and psychosomatic symptoms in Jewish migrants from the post-Soviet-Union to Germany in the 3rd generation after the Shoa

Abstract

The mental health status of persons with Jewish background living in Germany is discussed with special regard to social exclusion like anti-Semitism and overprotective parental rearing behavior, as a transmissional factor of the KZ-Syndrome. These stressors are considered in the context of a higher risk for depression/fear and psychosomatic disorders and also abnormal cortisol levels. The present sample (N=89) is derived from the Jewish population currently living in the German region of Saxony aged between 17–36 years that emigrated from the post-Soviet-Union areas. The mean age was 22.9 years. Two questionnaires to detect psychosomatic symptoms (Giessen complaint list (GBB)-24, hospital anxiety and depression scale) and one questionnaire addressing parental rearing behavior (FEE) were employed. Comparisons were drawn with normative data from the literature about the German residential population. In addition, questions were asked concerning the experience of anti-Semitism in Germany and in the post-Soviet-Union areas. A higher prevalence of depression/fear (10.3% versus 18.2%) and psychosomatic symptoms (M=14.03 versus 17.8; t=2.42; P<0.05) was observed in Jewish migrants to Germany as compared with non-Jewish German residents. Furthermore, anti-Semitic experiences in Germany correlated positively with depression (r=0.293; P<0.01) and fear (r=0.254; P<0.05). The anti-Semitic experiences in the post-Soviet-Union areas also correlated positively with limb pain (r=0.41, P<0.01), fatigue symptoms (r=0.296, P<0.01) and psychocardial symptoms (r=0.219, P<0.05). It was also confirmed that the male respondents recalled a controlling and overprotecting maternal rearing behavior more frequently than the German standard random sample (M=15.39 versus 18.6; t=2.68; P<0.01). The latter also correlated significantly positive with epigastric pain (r=0.349; P<0.01). The present results show that depression, fear and psychosomatic problems are common in Jewish residents with a background of migration from the post-Soviet-Union areas to Germany. Apart from the transgenerational passing of psychological traumata and the Holocaust experiences, other stressors like anti-Semitism, control and overprotection as parental rearing measures appear to be important factors specifically contributing to the pathogenesis of the attributed symptoms.

Persistent LHPA Activation in German Individuals Raised in an Overprotective Parental Behavior

“…In a representative German sample, recalled overprotective child rearing was associated with insecure attachment, and subjects who recalled an overprotective rearing-style exhibited depression and anxiety as well as showing an increased prevalence of eating disorders and psychosomatic symptoms 6, 15, 27 . Our data provide an insight into the psychophysiological impacts of overprotective child rearing as associated with depressiveness, mental burdening, and the sense of coherence as well as an LHPA axis activation.…”

“…Some child-rearing styles are described as etiopathogenesis factors which arise from an abnormal condition or a disease 25, 26 . Subjects who recalled an overprotective rearing-style exhibited depression and anxiety and showed an increased prevalence of eating disorders 6, 27 . Moreover, in the third generation after the holocaust, individuals often reported a higher level of overprotecting parental rearing behavior with concomitant increased rates of psychosomatic symptoms 6 .…”

“…Subjects who recalled an overprotective rearing-style exhibited depression and anxiety and showed an increased prevalence of eating disorders 6, 27 . Moreover, in the third generation after the holocaust, individuals often reported a higher level of overprotecting parental rearing behavior with concomitant increased rates of psychosomatic symptoms 6 . Besides, subjects who reported higher levels of overprotective parental rearing were rather insecurely attached in romantic relationships 15 .…”

Family Involvement and Holocaust Salience among Offspring and Grandchildren of Holocaust Survivors

“…Palgi et al there are several new studies that revealed signs of intergenerational transmission (Letzter-Pouw et al, 2014, Study 2;Scharf, 2007;Ullmann et al, 2013).…”

Emotional and psychological trauma in refugees arriving in Germany in 2015

“…5 In addition, there are data supporting dysfunction of stress hormones in PTSD, with the possibility of intergenerational transmission for three generations. 6,7 Stress and HPA axis dysregulation are elements of the pathophysiology of several disorders, including depression and Cushing's and Addison's disease. For an initial evaluation of HPA activity, single blood samples for the determination of adrenocorticotropin hormone and cortisol levels are commonly used, followed by further diagnostic tests such as those for midnight saliva cortisol concentrations and 24-h excretion of cortisol in the urine, as well as several additional functional tests, such as the corticotropin-releasing hormone-dexamethasone suppression test.…”