An African American Enigma: Intergenerational Transmission of Trauma
An African American Enigma: Intergenerational Transmission of Trauma
An African American Enigma: Intergenerational Transmission of Trauma ~ Over 30 years ago I was fortunate enough to watch an episode of the Phil Donohue Show in which a vibrant Black African Woman was confidently and dianoetically defending her scientific theory that suggested that African Americans were genetically superior to Europeans. At the time, this type of narrative was unheard of, especially on the heels of the push by the mainstream to sell the idea that black were inherently inferior to whites. Her theory, The Cress Theory of Color Confrontation (Welsing, 1970), not only suggested that Blacks were genetically dominant, but it suggested that it was this genetic transcendence that was at the core of the innate hostility of Europeans towards those of African descent. After watching this show, a new fire was kindled within. This new passion led me on a journey of discovery, and it created a paradigmatic shift that changed my approach to dealing with information.
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Through following the work of Dr. Welsing, I was introduced to other master teachers in the African American collective, including Neely Fuller Jr., Dr. John Henrik Clarke, Dr. Amos Wilson, Dr. Yosef Ben Jochannon and others. I developed a more pragmatic approach to how I viewed life, in general, and in the specific assessment of the black struggle. Where religion had conditioned me to accept certain information blindly under the guise of faith, science was now demanding that I not ignore the overwhelming evidence that was becoming increasingly available to me (Welsing, 1970). Science, as a body of knowledge and a system of observation and study is built upon the premise that all phenomena is observable — something that Dr. Welsing made lucidly clear early in her work. Influenced by the work of Neely Fuller Jr., Dr. Welsing stressed that the observation of the fact that at least 75 percent of the world’s population could be considered non-white, and yet this entire population has been perpetually dominated by the minority population that classifies itself as white was one of the, if not the most, important observable phenomenon in the world today.
Being more willing to abandon the idea of unexplainable coincidences in lieu of the explainable causality has opened up my understanding of behavior, and one area in which I have developed an acute perspicacious awareness is in the area of intergenerational trauma and the multitudinous ways through which it can be transmitted from one generation to the next. Furthermore, I have developed an understanding of how the perpetual existence of traumatic memories influence the development of cognitive biases and cognitive distortions.
Unfortunately, very little money and effort has been invested in studying and examining the phenomenon of intergenerationally transmitted trauma, therefore a great deal of the current data does not address the specific nature of the problem from a solely African American perspective however, it does provide a clear empirical foundation through data produced by the study of Jewish Holocaust survivors. I have chosen to view the extant data through the dichotomous lenses of positive progression and pathology — providing the capacity to not only understand the negative impact of intergenerational trauma, but to also note and measure the manner in which subsequent generations of trauma survivors have been able to successfully adapt, heal and progress. I use this dual perception to help to develop programs for clinical work and recommendations for future research.
The African American collective has spent far too much energy and effort attempting to apply superficial antidotes to highly complex problems.
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Theoretical Concepts Surrounding Intergenerational Transmission of Trauma
To develop the capacity to completely understand the influence that trauma has on the current African American experience, there must first be, at least, a minimal perspicacity of how trauma can be transmitted intergenerationally. One of the greatest challenges in successfully dealing with the enigmatic issues within the black community is the constant suggestion that slavery ended 150 years ago, and it is time to move on. There is this unfounded postulation that somehow the chronological time that has expired since legal slavery ended eliminates the possibility that slavery has anything to do with the current condition of African Americans. The truth is that there is overwhelming pragmatic and empirical evidence that proves that untreated trauma can be indefinitely transmitted intergenerationally (Abraham, 2014; Barden, 2013; Coyle, 2014; Kolk, 2001; Mullan-Gonzalez, 2012).
The phrase “transmission of trauma” is used to explore and express the ways that a traumatic event experienced by one person can produce lingering effects on subsequent generations. There are a number of theories and models that explain the different ways that trauma can be transmitted.
The etymology of the word “trauma” is:
1690s, “physical wound,” medical Latin, from Greek trauma “a wound, a hurt; a defeat,” from PIE *trau-, extended form of root *tere- (1) “to rub, turn,” with derivatives referring to twisting, piercing, etc. (see throw (v.)). Sense of “psychic wound, unpleasant experience which causes abnormal stress” is from 1894”
According to Bessel Van der Kolk, one of the foremost experts in the field of trauma, trauma is that point in which an individual loses the ability to retreat to a safe place in order to process their emotions or experiences, resulting in a feeling of helplessness (Kolk B. V., 1987). Trauma is also defined by Pavlov (Pavlov, 1960) as a lasting psychological alteration within the brain. Basically, when a person experiences a traumatic event in their life, the central nervous system will recall the trauma when triggered by memories, overwhelming events, threatening or other uncontrollable situations occur (Kahane-Nissenbaum, 2011).
Intergenerational Transmission of Trauma
There is a wealth of empirical data that reveals that post-traumatic manifestations that can manifest in biological, psychological and philosophical expressions, with the person likely taking on the role of a victim, while simultaneously experiencing a rupture in their daily routine. The coping mechanisms and adaptation patterns of the victim will be passed down to future generations. In fact, not only can the behavior that results from the trauma be passed down to subsequent generations, but the remnants of the trauma, itself, can also be passed down through a number of transmission pathways.
Psychodynamic Models for the Transmission of Trauma
While psychodynamic theory is no longer the monolithic and dominant force that it once was in the world of psychology, it has been used in the past, as a tool of observation which was used in the shaping of early research into the transmission of trauma. While psychoanalytic theory has been used to produce some significant findings in the areas of trauma, its weakness is that it tends to lead to the overgeneralization of data and it further tends to pathologize the behavior of the victim based on clinical samples, resulting in the postulation that second generation trauma is indicative of a homogenous group.
Sociocultural Models of Intergenerational Transmission of Trauma
The sociocultural models suggest that the transmission of trauma can be accomplished through the passing down of social and cultural norms. For example, there have been a number of studies that reveal that individuals who suffer abuse during their childhood years have a tendency to grow up and become abusers themselves. When this concept is unilaterally applied to the study of trauma transmission, one could postulate that second generation survivors of trauma will grow up to perpetuate the same type of behavior as the original victim of the trauma. This dynamic can also be observed in the study of Childhood Sexual Abuse (CSA) in the Black community, especially when it comes to incest.
Family Systems and Communication Models of Intergenerational Transmission of Trauma
Each family has a specific system through which they communicate and operate. There are some families that function through highly closed systems in which the children are only exposed to close family members. When the closed environment creates a situation in which the children are primarily exposed to other victims of trauma, not only will the behavior of the children reflect the behavioral influences of the adults they are exposed to, but they will tend to develop an acute concern for the adults — taking on a protective role that can lead to hypervigilance — a symptom of PTSD.
Biological and Genetic Models of Intergenerational Transmission of Trauma
This is an area in which there is a great deal of promise as far as expanding the understanding of why and how intergenerational trauma takes place. We understand that psychological trauma has a physiological component that is immensely pronounced. In fact, we have learned that the physiological impression made during a traumatic process is the initial response to the traumatic event — preceding any psychological manifestations. The study of the epigenetic transmission of intergenerational trauma and the psychological implications reveal there is a specific biological influence associated with the transmission of trauma.
The biological model suggests that the transmission of trauma is solely a biological process that is facilitated by a biological predisposition that creates a vulnerability to psychological trauma, based on gene expression.
It is my initial assessment that the transmission of intergenerational trauma is not caused by a singular influence, but is more likely the result of a complex process through which most or all of the models have an influence on the final result. I have to admit that there is still much to be understood when it comes to the epigenetic link to the transmission of trauma, but one thing is certain, the intergenerational transmission of trauma within the African American collective is a reality. Furthermore, there is clear evidence supporting the idea that the existence of a perpetual traumatic experience is influencing the cognitive reality of African Americans in general. In other words, the cognitive biases and cognitive distortions that shape the reality of the average African American is directly influenced by their perpetuated traumatic experience by African Americans in this country. While bearing out behaviors that are directly linked to slavery, blacks continue to be traumatized — compounding the problem.
We, like the Jews from the Holocaust, must be willing to invest ourselves and our resources into research that will provide the knowledge necessary to intelligently engage the issue of perpetuated trauma in our families and communities in order to produce efficacious results in the area of healing. ~ Dr. Rick Wallace, Ph.D.