Intergenerational Trauma and Residential Schools (Plain-Language Summary)

Intergenerational Trauma

The first studies on intergenerational trauma were written in the 1960s. They focused on Holocaust survivors and their children. The children were affected by their parents. For instance, children felt that they needed to protect their parents. Moreover, they thought about the Holocaust a lot. They needed a lot of control.

Indigenous Communities and Residential School Trauma

Students in residential schools experienced much trauma. They were not allowed to speak their language (see also Indigenous Languages in Canada). Many were not allowed to see their parents. Many were abused (see Child Abuse). Therefore, struggles with mental health were and are common among survivors. They suffer from anxiety, low self-esteem and depression. In addition to this, they also suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Some abuse alcohol and drugs to escape from the pain they feel. Some resort to suicide.

Many survivors deal with trauma all their lives. As a result, they have a difficult time raising children themselves. Some effects of this are high rates of family violence and domestic abuse. In a sense, the survivors model behaviour they learned in residential school. A tragic result of this situation is the large number of Indigenous children who are taken by child welfare services. About 54 per cent of all children in child welfare are Indigenous. This only serves to continue intergenerational trauma.

There are many theories about how intergenerational trauma happens.

Socio-cultural Model

This theory highlights the importance of the environment and family to intergenerational trauma. The following are some main ideas of the theory. First, children learn from the environment. Their development is dependent on the environment. They depend primarily on caregivers. So, if caregivers abuse them, they cannot develop the skills needed that can help them in the future. Then, when they become parents, they may repeat the cycle.

Psychological Model

This theory focuses on the bond between parent and child. A weak bond can have a negative effect on a child. For a child to be healthy, their needs must be met. The parent is responsible for serving these needs. If they do not, the child may not be able to cope well. This can affect their ability to do well in school and in society in general. If this happens, the cycle of intergenerational trauma does not stop.

Physiological Model

This model focuses on genetics and biology. The idea is that trauma can be passed down biologically. Some believe, for instance, that a traumatized mother can pass down this trauma to her baby. This can contribute to changes in a child’s brain development. Others believe “toxic stress” in a child’s life can change their brain’s development. Thus, intergenerational trauma continues.

Treatment and Moving Forward

People suffering from trauma need treatment. Much focus has been on treating PTSD in individuals. To do so, health and social programs have been created. In addition to this, researchers have examined how discrimination and racism contributes to intergenerational trauma. The goal is to see how marginalization affects individuals. Research shows that treatment needs to be culturally and socially appropriate to provide help. Many believe that more self-government and self-determination are key to the solution.