Historical Intergenerational Trauma Transmission as a Risk Factor for Generalized Anxiety Disorder: Evidence from a Romanian Adult Sample. Implications for Theory, Practice, and Ethics

The present study investigates the relationship between historical and intergenerational trauma and generalized anxiety disorder.We aimed to test how the dimensions composing historical intergenerational transmission of trauma correlate with generalized anxiety disorder.The research was conducted on a sample of 159 participants (64.2% females, 35.8% males, and 0% non-binary) aged between 40 and 76 years (M = 49.06;SD = 7.09).Participants completed questionnaires designed to assess historical intergenerational transmission of trauma (HITT-Q) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).The results showed significant correlations between family resilience, family vulnerability, offspring vulnerability, and historical moral injury, as dimensions of the HITT-Q, and GAD.At the same time, no significant correlation was found between offspring resilience and GAD.The present study contributes to a better understanding of historical intergenerational trauma transmission as a potential risk factor for generalized anxiety disorder within the Romanian population and highlights its theoretical, practical, and ethical implications for trauma research and clinical practice in post-communist contexts.