Depression, Somatization, and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Children Born of Occupation After World War II in Comparison With a General Population.
At the end of World War II and during the first decade after the war, roughly 200,000 children were fathered in intimate contacts between German women and foreign soldiers. The experiences of these German occupation children (GOC) have been so far described in case reports and from historical perspective only. Research on psychosocial consequences of growing up as a GOC has been missing so far. This study examined traumatic experiences, posttraumatic stress disorder, somatization, and depression in GOC (N = 146) using self-report instruments: Posttraumatic Diagnostic Scale and Patient Health Questionnaire. Findings have then been compared with a representative birth cohort-matched sample from the German general population (N = 977). German occupation children showed significantly higher prevalence rates of most traumatic experiences, higher point prevalence rates of full and partial posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and somatization than the control group. In summary, GOC often grew up under difficult conditions (e.g., poverty, single mothers, and stigmatization). Even decades later, they showed higher rates of different mental disorders and higher comorbidity. These findings underline the complex and long-term impact of their burdened social, financial, and familial conditions. The results underpin the importance of conceptualizing occupation children as a vulnerable group in postconflict settings.
*Department of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, Leipzig University, Leipzig; †Department of Psychiatry at the HELIOS Hanseklinikum Stralsund, University Medicine Greifswald; and ‡Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
Marie
M
Kaiser
Philipp
P
Kuwert
Elmar
E
Braehler
Heide
H
Glaesmer
D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011203:Poverty / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015995:Prevalence; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D015406:Single Parent / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D013240:Stereotyping; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014754:Violence / Q000266:history / Q000523:psychology; D047789:World War II