Intergenerational Trauma in Refugee Families: A Scoping Review of Contextual and Systemic Perspectives

This scoping review analyzed 18 current research articles to identify how scholars conceptualize and use theory to understand trauma transmission in refugee family systems. Analysis of theory and results across this body of literature resulted in several significant findings. First, there is inconsistency in how researchers define and operationalize trauma. As a result, evidence of trauma transmission and pathways is also inconsistent. Second, although these articles aim to understand trauma in refugee families, the only family constellations represented are mother–child dyads, leaving out fathers and families with multiple children. Future research should overcome these limitations by integrating systemic perspectives, relational measures, and interdisciplinary approaches. Using innovative methodologies and culturally grounded theories will enable researchers to produce more inclusive and impactful studies on this critical topic.