Understanding the Intergenerational Transmission of Trauma in the Türkiye Context: A Systematic Review

Intergenerational transmission of trauma is defined as the conscious or unconscious reflection of the impact of trauma within a family, passed down to the next generation. Researchers began investigating the mechanism of intergenerational trauma transmission after the Holocaust. Since then, the trauma literature has examined the intergenerational effects of traumatic experiences such as wars, forced migrations, and terrorist attacks. This article aims to examine the important concept of intergenerational trauma transmission in the context of Türkiye. Many events in Türkiye have the potential to cause intergenerational trauma. Wars, terrorist incidents, military coups, migration, and earthquakes are prevalent and traumatic. Given Türkiye's location in an area where traumatic experiences are common, it is important to understand the events that may cause intergenerational trauma there. For this purpose, war, terrorism, massacres, and forced migration events that may cause intergenerational trauma in Türkiye were discussed within the scope of a systematic review. The PRISMA method was followed for this systematic review. Articles and theses were reviewed in the Web of Science, Dergipark, Google Scholar, and YÖK Thesis databases. The search identified 58 studies investigating the concept of intergenerational trauma in Türkiye. Ten studies were included in the systematic review as a result of the PRISMA method. As a result of a systematic review, findings from studies conducted in Türkiye show that traumatic experiences can be transmitted across generations, and their psychopathological reflections can continue into the second and third generations. In conclusion, this article presents a fresh perspective on intergenerational trauma in Türkiye and offers insights for future empirical studies.