Intergenerational Trauma and Adolescent Development in Refugee Households

Abstract

Background/Purpose: Intergenerational trauma refers to the transmission of trauma across generations, often within families, and is a significant influence on the development of children, particularly those of immigrant parents. Adolescents raised by refugees often report internalizing their feelings, which leads to depressive and anxious symptoms, as well as externalizing their feelings, which is exhibited in aggressive, anti-social, and disruptive behaviors. Parental emotional attenuation and how various parenting styles serve as a mechanism for trauma transmission. This study aims to explore how trauma transmission occurs within the family and how that ultimately affects the mental well-being of their family. The ages and demographics of the refugees examined in this study were reviewed to see how different regions, cultural backgrounds, and situations that caused the departure of refugees from their country of origin play a role in trauma transmission.

Methods: Following PRISMA guidelines, a systematic search was conducted across PubMed, PsychINFO, JSTOR, and Google Scholar. Studies were included if they (1) focused on refugee families displaced by war, persecution, or mass violence; (2) involved youth (ages 4-23) who were either second-generation refugees or exposed to trauma indirectly; and (3) used quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methods to assess psychosocial outcomes. A total of 32 studies met the inclusion criteria. Participant demographics encompassed refugees (75%), asylum seekers (20%), immigrants (20%), and displaced genocide survivors (10%) from regions including the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Eastern Africa, the Balkans, and Latin America.

Results: The review revealed consistent evidence of trauma transmission through impaired parent-child dynamics. Emotional distress - often presenting as anxiety, depression, or PTSD - was common in both generations. Adolescent internalizing symptoms included self-isolation, psychosocial stress, and identity confusion, while externalizing symptoms manifested as aggression, hyperactivity, and oppositional behaviors. Parenting styles characterized by emotional unavailability, hypervigilance, or overprotectiveness were identified as key mediators. Studies employing tools like the Child Behavior Checklist and Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire found strong correlations between parental trauma exposure and youth behavioral outcomes. Cultural stigma often leads families to silence emotional struggles, exacerbating mental health difficulties and inhibiting help-seeking. Additionally, “parentification” - where children assume adult roles due to parental dysfunction - was frequently reported, contributing to emotional dysregulation and delayed adolescent development.

Conclusions and Implications: This review highlights the nuanced pathways through which trauma is inherited in refugee families and the developmental risks posed to adolescents. Mental health professionals must recognize how unprocessed parental trauma, parenting behaviors, and cultural dynamics collectively shape youth outcomes. The findings underscore the need for culturally responsive, trauma-informed interventions that target both parents and children. School-based social workers and community mental health providers are uniquely positioned to bridge these gaps through family-centered care models that validate lived experiences, disrupt cycles of trauma, and promote resilience in refugee communities.