Psychopathological Reflections of Migration on the Intergenerational Context
Ayla Hocaoğlu Uzunkaya, Banu YılmazThe concept of the transgenerational transmission of trauma posits that the effects of traumatic experiences can be transferred from one generation to the next within the family through various mechanisms. The study mainly aims to examine trauma exposure and traumatic stress level in women who experienced the last period of the Bulgarian migration (1989) and their relationship with the psychological symptoms of individuals in the second generation without a direct experience of the migration. The Trauma Exposure Scale, Impact of Event Scale-R, Brief Symptom Inventory, World Assumptions Scale, and the Inventory of Family Protective Factors were used for data collection. The study was conducted on women (N = 170) who experienced the last period of the Bulgaria migration, aged at least 41 years, and with children aged between 16 and 27 years. The results indicate that increases in traumatic exposure and traumatic stress among mothers are associated with increases in the psychological symptoms of children. Furthermore, comparison was made between individuals in the second generation, who were categorized into three groups according to the mothers’ traumatic stress level. The findings indicated that the children of mothers with high levels of traumatic stress experienced more symptoms of anxiety than those of mothers with low levels of traumatic stress. Family functioning and basic assumptions serve as protective mechanisms for the psychological health of individuals in the second generation. Moreover, the results indicate that migration led to transgenerational effects. Previous studies on the subject emphasized the importance of traumatic stress. Similarly, symptoms of anxiety among individuals in the second generation differed according to the stress level of the mothers. In turn, traumatic experiences can exert negative effects on parenting style. For this reason, the increased frequency of symptoms of anxiety among individuals in the second generation are discussed in this context. Consistent with the literature, high family functioning is one of the protective mechanisms for the psychological health of individuals in the second generation. The number of people forced to leave their homes due to war has reached the highest level. The finding that the psychological impacts of the migration can be transmitted between generations increases its significance.
Göçün Kuşaklararası Bağlamda Psikopatolojik Yansımaları
Ayla Hocaoğlu Uzunkaya, Banu Yılmaz‘Travmanın kuşaklararası aktarımı’, bireyin deneyimlediği travmatik yaşantıların etkilerinin, çeşitli mekanizmalar aracılığıyla aktarılarak ailenin sonraki kuşaklarında da görülebildiği anlamına gelmektedir. Bu araştırmanın temel amacı, son dönem Bulgaristan göçünü (1989) yaşayan kadınlarda travmaya maruz kalma ve travmatik stres düzeyi ile göçü doğrudan yaşamamış ikinci kuşaktaki kişilerin psikolojik belirtileri arasındaki ilişkileri incelemektir. Veri toplama araçları olarak Travmaya Maruz Kalma Ölçeği, Olay Etkisi Ölçeği-R, Kısa Semptom Envanteri, Dünyaya İlişkin Varsayımlar Ölçeği ve Ailede Koruyucu Etkenler Ölçeği kullanılmıştır. Araştırma, son dönem Bulgaristan göçüne maruz kalmış 41 yaş ve üzerindeki kadınlar (N =170) ve onların 16-27 yaş arasındaki çocukları (N = 170) ile yürütülmüştür. Sonuçlar, annelerin travmaya maruz kalma ve travmatik stres düzeylerinin artmasının, çocuklarının psikolojik belirtilerinin kötüleşmesiyle ilişkili olduğuna işaret etmektedir. Ayrıca ikinci kuşaktaki bireyler, annelerinin travmatik stres düzeylerine göre üç grup olarak ayrılıp psikolojik belirtiler açısından karşılaştırılmıştır. Sonuçlar, travmatik stresi yüksek olan annelerin çocuklarında travmatik stresi düşük olan annelerin çocuklarına kıyasla daha fazla anksiyete belirtisi olduğunu göstermektedir. Aile işlevselliği ve temel varsayımlar ise psikolojik sağlık açısından koruyucu olmaktadır. Bu çalışmanın bulguları, göçün kuşaklararası etkilerine işaret etmektedir. Konuyla ilgili yapılan çalışmalarda travmanın sonraki kuşaktaki etkilerinde, travmatik stresin önemi vurgulanmaktadır. Bu çalışmada da annelerinin travmatik stres düzeyine göre ikinci kuşaktaki bireylerin anksiyete belirtileri farklılaşmaktadır. Travmatik deneyimler, ebeveynlerin çocuk yetiştirme stillerini olumsuz etkileyebilmektedir. İkinci kuşaktaki bireylerin anksiyete belirtilerinin fazla olması, bu kapsamda tartışılmıştır. Alan yazınla tutarlı olarak aile işlevselliğinin yüksek olması, ikinci kuşaktaki bireylerin psikolojik sağlıkları açısından koruyucu olmaktadır. Dünya genelinde savaş nedeniyle evini terk etmek zorunda kalan insan sayısı şimdiye kadarki en yüksek düzeye ulaşmıştır. Göçün psikolojik etkilerinin aynı zamanda kuşaklararası aktarılabileceği gerçeği durumun önemini arttırmaktadır.
The criteria of traumatic events according to classification systems are limited to events that are considered a “threat, injury or death to physical integrity of oneself or relatives” (American Psychological Association, 2013). However, traumatic events should not be limited to these criteria due to their diversity. In addition, traumatic events can affect not only people who directly experienced them but also other people and communities through the transference of such effects from one person to another or from one generation to the next (Danieli, 1998). Although the literature on this topic is abundant, studies on the intergenerational effects of migration are few (Daud, Skoglund, & Rydelius, 2005; Field, Om, Kim, & Vorn, 2011; Vaage et al., 2011). According to clinical observation and theoretical background, the concept of transgenerational transmission of trauma pertains to the transfer of the effects of one’s traumatic experience to the next generation in the family through various mechanisms (Kellermann, 2001a). Thus, determining the economic, social, and political challenges that affect individuals in the second generation without a direct experience of the migration is necessary. Another question is what variables may play a role in the process? Migrations from Bulgaria to Turkey are among the countless migrations in history. Last period of the Bulgarian migration contains lot of stressful events. The process started to force people to change their Turkish names with Bulgarian ones and include lots of pressure to limit their traditional life styles (Dayıoğlu, 2005). Because of all this reasons, studies on the transgenerational effects of migration are few, and none of them focus on the last period (1989) of the Bulgarian migration. Thus, the main objective of the study is to examine trauma exposure and traumatic stress in women who experienced the last period of the Bulgarian migration (1989) and their relationship with the psychological symptoms of individuals in the second generation who did not directly experience the migration. The secondary aim of the study is to examine the relationships between the psychological symptoms of individuals in the second generation and family functioning and their basic assumptions.
Method
Two separate data sets were collected for mothers and their children. The Trauma Exposure Scale (Özüorçun & Karancı, 2013), Impact of Event Scale-R (Işıklı, 2006; Weiss & Marmar, 1997), Brief Symptom Inventory (Deragatis, 1993; Şahin & Durak, 1994; Şahin, Batıgün, & Uğurtaş, 2002), World Assumptions Scale (Janoff-Bulman, 1989; Yılmaz, 2008), and the Inventory of Family Protective Factors (Gardner Huber, Steiner, Vazquez, & Savage, 2008; Gökler-Danışman & Köksal, 2011) were used as instruments for data collection. The study recruited women (N = 170) with a direct experience of the last period of the Bulgarian migration, aged at least 41 years (i.e., they were adults during the migration), and with children aged between 16 and 27 years (i.e., they were aged a maximum of 2 years during the migration).
Results
The results indicate that increases in the traumatic exposure and traumatic stress of mothers are associated with increases in the psychological symptoms of their children. In addition, a comparison was made on individuals in the second generation, who were categorized under three groups according to the mothers’ scores of hyperarousal subscale of the Impact of Event Scale-R. The groups determined under one standard deviation of mean score (5.65) and upper one standard deviation of mean score (17.71) according to mean score (11.68) of hyperarousal subscale. They were called as low, medium and high level of traumatic stress group. Significant differences were noted between groups (F(2,167) = 1.75, p <.05). The findings indicated that the children of mothers with high levels of traumatic stress experienced more symptoms of anxiety (M = 10.67, SS = 8.90) than the children of mothers with low levels of traumatic stress (M = 7.21, SS = 3.67). Family functioning and basic assumptions are deemed to protect the psychological health of individuals in the second generation. As such, increased family functioning (r(2,167) = −.36, p <.01) and basic assumption (r(2,167) = −.35, p < .01) are related to decreased psychological symptoms.
Discussion
The results indicate that migration exerts transgenerational effects. Especially, women who experienced difficulties after the migration, such as economic issues, being alone in a new culture, loss of properties, being away from family, and a rigorous life in new a country, are at increased risk for traumatic stress. Such difficulties are indirectly related to the psychological health of their children. Conversely, the effect of trauma exposure on individuals in the second generation is less. Previous studies on the subject emphasize the importance of traumatic stress (Ahmadzadeh ve Malekian, 2004; Kaitz, Levy et al., 2009; Suozzia ve Motto, 2004; Van IJzendoorn et al., 2003). Similarly, the symptoms of anxiety among individuals in the second generation differ according to the stress levels of the mothers. Traumatic experiences can negatively influence parenting style. Thus, the high levels of anxiety symptoms among individuals in the second generation are discussed within this context. Consistent with the literature, high family functioning tends to preserve the psychological health of individuals in the second generation. Highlighting difficulties and other stress-inducing factors experienced after the migration is important due to the possible negative effects of migration trauma.