An investigation into the intergenerational transmission of Holocaust effects in South African survivors

Brener, Loren

An investigation into the intergenerational transmission of Holocaust effects in South African survivors

Master Thesis

1993

Publisher

University of Cape Town

Department

Department of Psychology

Faculty

Faculty of Humanities

Abstract

This study focuses on the intergnerational transmission of Holocaust effects among South African Jewish survivors of the Nazi Holocaust and their children. Its aim is to ascertain whether common patterns exist among survivor families that could be attributed to the parents' Holocaust past. Early theoretical and empirical literature suggests that exposure to extreme trauma bas long term damaging consequences on the personality, functioning of survivors, and on their parenting of their children. However, Holocaust survivors are also immigrants. It is possible that immigration to Southern or Central Africa produced stresses which could also have influenced coping and parenting. In order to address this issue, a comparison group of Jewish immigrants who were not survivors, was also studied. The survivor group consisted of 21 survivors and 11 adult children. The immigrant sample comprised 14 subjects, with 10 children. The implications of resettlement for survivors was also accounted for in this study as part of the process of recognizing that survivors too experienced immigration. Patterns of adaption and acculturation of survivors in general were compared to immigrants it! general. Therefore, the sample also included childless survivors and immigrants. Indepth interviews were conducted with all subjects. Findings were based on the reports of the respective subjects regarding their perceptions of their own and their family functioning. No clear differences were found between the survivor and immigrant samples. Considerable within-group variation was present in both groups. Limited intergenerational transmission of generalized patterns of negative psychological effects were found in survivor families. Children of survivors appear to focus on the resourcefulness and strength displayed by their survivor parent. They similarly exhibit resilient and coping behaviour which seems to be based on the presence of these qualities in their parents.

Description

Bibliography: leaves 175-196.

Keywords

Psychology

Reference:

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