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Childhood maltreatment in children born of occupation after WWII in Germany and its association with mental disorders

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 April 2017

Heide Glaesmer ,
Philipp Kuwert ,
Elmar Braehler  and
Marie Kaiser
Heide Glaesmer*
Affiliation:
Department of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
Philipp Kuwert
Affiliation:
Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, HELIOS Hanseklinikum Stralsund, Stralsund, Germany
Elmar Braehler
Affiliation:
Department of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany
Marie Kaiser
Affiliation:
Department of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: Dr. Heide Glaesmer, Department of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, University of Leipzig, Philipp-Rosenthal-Str. 55, 04103, Leipzig, Germany. Phone: +49 341 9718811; Fax: +49 341 9718809. Email: Heide.Glaesmer@medizin.uni-leipzig.de.
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Abstract

Background:

Children born of war are a common phenomenon of conflict. In the aftermath of World War II, more than 200,000 German occupation children (GOC) were fathered by occupation soldiers and born to local women. GOC often grew up under difficult conditions and showed high prevalence rates of mental disorders even decades later.

Methods:

Experiences of childhood maltreatment and their association with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), depression, and somatization in GOC (N = 146) are investigated and compared with a representative birth-cohort-matched sample (BCMS) from the German general population (N = 920).

Results:

Outcomes show significantly higher prevalence rates of emotional abuse/neglect, physical, and sexual abuse in GOC compared to BCMS. All five subtypes of childhood maltreatment increase the risk of PTSD and somatoform syndrome; depressive syndromes are associated with emotional abuse/neglect and physical abuse. GOC were at high risk of childhood maltreatment.

Conclusions:

Findings underline the complex, long-term impact of developmental conditions and childhood maltreatment on mental disorders even decades later.

Keywords

children born of waroccupation childrenchildhood abuse and neglectdepressionsomatizationpost-traumatic stress disorder
Type
Research Article
Information
International Psychogeriatrics , Volume 29 , Issue 7 , July 2017 , pp. 1147 - 1156
Copyright
Copyright © International Psychogeriatric Association 2017 

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