Adaptive abilities in nonclinical second-generation Holocaust survivors and controls: a comparison

The Psychological State of Holocaust Survivors' Offspring: An Epidemiological and Psychodiagnostic Study

A review of the psychological literature dealing with the emotional state of Holocaust survivors' offspring (HSO) has yielded conflicting evidence. Whereas clinicians describe HSO as emotionally scarred, and tend to generalise their findings to the population of HSO at large, controlled studies do not lend support to these generalisations, and do not demonstrate widespread psychopathology among HSO. However, the relative frequency of psychological problems among HSO has not been systematically investigated. Nor has the possible existence of a latent vulnerability been investigated. In the present study, the frequency of emotional problems among Holocaust survivors' offspring and their psychodiagnostic patterns were investigated. Holocaust survivors' off spring, aged 5-16 years, did not demonstrate more emotional, behavioural or learning problems than did controls. Moreover, HSO of fathers with low levels of education were referred to a psychoeducational service significantly less frequently than were comparable controls. On psychodiagnostic tests HSO did not show more signs of emotional vulnerability than did controls. Generally, HSO were indistinguishable from controls on all measures, demonstrating good adaptation.

“Is violence a contagious disease?” The social implications of post-traumatic stress disorder

Some problems related to the formal diagnosis of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and the social implications of the concepts incorporated in the diagnosis are addressed. Increasing worldwide evidence of the circumstances likely to produce a PTSD and of patients of all ages and races satisfying the criteria for the diagnosis suggests a problem of epidemic proportions requiring intensive study.

Mutual involvement and alienation in families of Holocaust survivors

Clinical studies suggest that children of Holocaust survivors remain enmeshed with their families or alienated from them. To examine the applicability of these observations to a nonclinic population, questionnaire responses of a randomly selected community sample of adult children (ages 19-36) of Holocaust survivors (COS) were compared to those of children of other immigrants (COI), and of children of native-born parents (CON). The clinical findings were not supported in most of the wide range of possible manifestations of ties to or distance from the family. COS did, however, report more dissatisfaction with some aspects of the cross-sexed parents' disciplinary habits in the past. Male COS continued to feel that way in the present, wishing their mothers would be more permissive. Documented negative consequences of prolonged, severe victimization may affect only small segments of the second generation.