Peer-reviewed article
Collective Intergenerational Trauma in Children and Families: Transmission Mechanisms, Effects and Therapeutic Interventions by Health and Social Work Professionals to Promote Health and Strengthen Psychological Resilience.
Pyliou DS, Stavropoulou A, Rovithis M, Filippidis G, Moudatsou M ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This systematic review examines how collective trauma from events like war, genocide and forced displacement affects children and families across generations. The research identifies four main ways trauma is passed down: through family interactions, communication patterns, cultural factors and biological mechanisms. Children of trauma survivors often experience psychological difficulties, damaged family relationships and problems with family functioning. The review finds that most existing interventions focus on individual trauma rather than addressing the collective and intergenerational nature of the problem, and calls for culturally sensitive, family-centred approaches.
Key points
- Collective intergenerational trauma is transmitted through interacting family, communicative, sociocultural and biological mechanisms
- Consequences include psychological and psychosocial difficulties among descendants, disruptions in family relationships and adverse effects on family functioning
- Existing interventions primarily focus on individual trauma, with limited attention to collective and intergenerational dimensions
- Health professionals and social workers can promote mental health and strengthen resilience in affected children and families
- Culturally responsive, trauma-informed and family-centred interventions within a systemic framework are needed
Limitations
The review does not specify which countries or populations were studied, making it unclear whether findings apply globally or to specific contexts. The document provides no information on the effectiveness or outcomes of the interventions reviewed, only that they exist and are limited in scope.
Abstract
Collective intergenerational trauma is a complex phenomenon affecting descendants and families exposed to the enduring effects of collective traumatic events, such as forced displacement, genocide and war. This systematic review aimed to explore the mechanisms through which collective trauma is transmitted across generations, examine its consequences for children and families, and critically analyse interventions employed by health professionals and social workers. A systematic review was conducted using ScienceDirect, Wiley Online Library and PubMed. Studies published between 2016 and 2026 were screened for eligibility, resulting in the inclusion of 22 studies. The indexing terms "collective intergenerational trauma", "collective transgenerational trauma", "trauma transmission", "transmission mechanisms", "consequences", "intergenerational trauma interventions", "Social Care", and "Health Professionals", were used, along with the Boolean operators AND and OR. The included studies were synthesised using thematic analysis. The findings indicate that collective intergenerational trauma is transmitted through interacting family, communicative, sociocultural and biological mechanisms. Its consequences include psychological and psychosocial difficulties among descendants, disruptions in family relationships and adverse effects on family functioning. Existing interventions primarily focus on individual trauma, with limited attention to its collective and intergenerational dimensions. The findings highlight the need for culturally responsive, trauma-informed and family-centred interventions addressing collective intergenerational trauma within a systemic framework. Health professionals and social workers can play an important role in promoting mental health, strengthening resilience, mitigating the long-term effects of trauma and supporting affected children, families and communities.