Intergenerational trauma in forcibly-displaced populations in Latin America: a scoping review

Overlapping humanitarian crises make the Americas home to one in every five forcibly displaced or stateless persons worldwide. Although a robust body of literature describes the intergenerational effects of traumatic experiences related to forced displacement, evidence from Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) and with Latinx groups is scarce and contains wide variations in operationalizations of intergenerational trauma, transmission mechanisms and coping strategies. The aim of this scoping review was to improve our understanding of intergenerational trauma in forcibly displaced populations from LAC. We addressed these objectives: (i) to map existing literature on intergenerational trauma in forcibly displaced groups in LAC; (ii) to identify operationalizations of intergenerational trauma, transmission mechanisms and coping strategies in forcibly displaced groups in LAC; and (iii) to identify knowledge gaps. Systematic searches were conducted in 20 online databases to identify articles that studied intergenerational trauma, associated transmission mechanisms and coping strategies in forcibly displaced Latinx groups originating in LAC. Narrative analysis was conducted to describe the relevant themes extracted from the included literature. Six English and Spanish-language articles were included, from which three general themes were identified regarding intergenerational trauma in forcibly-displaced Latinx populations: (i) intergenerational trauma operationalizations, (ii) transmission mechanisms and coping strategies, and (iii) identified gaps in research and evidence. Two subthemes themes were identified relating to intergenerational trauma operationalizations: (i) measures and samples, (ii) forced displacement motives. Evidence gaps in the literature were also elaborated. We identified gaps in intergenerational trauma definitions and operationalizations. Greater methodological rigor and consistency in trauma reporting is warranted to support future evidence-based research and inform supportive systems that promote the health of forcibly-displaced populations and their descendants in the Americas.