Assessing transgenerational trauma transmission: development and psychometric properties of the Historical Intergenerational Trauma Transmission Questionnaire (HITT-Q)
ABSTRACTObjective/Background: Despite increasing attention on transgenerational trauma, currently no comprehensive model and measure exists to be applied on various populations. This study represents the first step in the validation of such a model and a related scale. The Historical Intergeneration...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2024-12-01
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| Series: | European Journal of Psychotraumatology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/20008066.2024.2329510 |
| _version_ | 1827308302629863424 |
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| author | Vera Békés Claire J. Starrs |
| author_facet | Vera Békés Claire J. Starrs |
| author_sort | Vera Békés |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ABSTRACTObjective/Background: Despite increasing attention on transgenerational trauma, currently no comprehensive model and measure exists to be applied on various populations. This study represents the first step in the validation of such a model and a related scale. The Historical Intergenerational Trauma Questionnaire (HITT-Q) assesses family and offspring self-reported vulnerability and resilience, as well as offspring historical moral injury and current levels of insidious trauma.Method: We developed the HITT-Q based on the cross-population model (HITT model; [Starrs, C. & Békés, V. (2024). Historical and transgenerational trauma: A conceptual framework. Traumatology. In Press]) which incorporates key findings in existing population specific studies. For initial validation of the model and its measurement, Holocaust survivors’ offspring (N = 1104) completed the HITT-Q, measures of current mental health symptoms (PTSD, C-PTSD, anxiety, and depression), and a resilience scale.Results: In line with the HITT model, confirmatory factor analyses supported a 12-factor solution with the following factors under theorized dimensions: I. Family Vulnerability: (1) Dysregulated and Trauma-related Communication; (2)Trauma-influenced Parenting, (3) Fear; (4) Distress; II. (5) Family Resilience, III. Offspring Vulnerability: (6) Escape; (7) Heightened Responsibility; (8) Trauma-related distress; IV. Offspring Resilience: (9) Coping; (10) Belonging; (11) Values; V. (12) Historical Moral injury. The 12-factor model showed acceptable to good internal validity, and comparison with an existing measure of transgenerational Holocaust trauma indicated good concurrent validity. Finally, the HITT-Q demonstrated predictive validity for mental health symptoms and current resilience.Conclusions: The current study represents the first step in validating the HITT-Q as a comprehensive measure of historical intergenerational vulnerability and resilience. Our findings provide strong support for the underlying model, and suggest that the HITT-Q represents a valuable scale for both research and historical trauma-informed care. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T18:56:04Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-49fc0b1ba5234ca393ce5b212d9e2642 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2000-8066 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T18:56:04Z |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | European Journal of Psychotraumatology |
| spelling | doaj.art-49fc0b1ba5234ca393ce5b212d9e26422024-03-26T17:23:10ZengTaylor & Francis GroupEuropean Journal of Psychotraumatology2000-80662024-12-0115110.1080/20008066.2024.2329510Assessing transgenerational trauma transmission: development and psychometric properties of the Historical Intergenerational Trauma Transmission Questionnaire (HITT-Q)Vera Békés0Claire J. Starrs1Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology, Yeshiva University, Bronx, NY, USADepartment of Psychology, University of Quebec in Montreal (UQAM), Montréal, Québec, CanadaABSTRACTObjective/Background: Despite increasing attention on transgenerational trauma, currently no comprehensive model and measure exists to be applied on various populations. This study represents the first step in the validation of such a model and a related scale. The Historical Intergenerational Trauma Questionnaire (HITT-Q) assesses family and offspring self-reported vulnerability and resilience, as well as offspring historical moral injury and current levels of insidious trauma.Method: We developed the HITT-Q based on the cross-population model (HITT model; [Starrs, C. & Békés, V. (2024). Historical and transgenerational trauma: A conceptual framework. Traumatology. In Press]) which incorporates key findings in existing population specific studies. For initial validation of the model and its measurement, Holocaust survivors’ offspring (N = 1104) completed the HITT-Q, measures of current mental health symptoms (PTSD, C-PTSD, anxiety, and depression), and a resilience scale.Results: In line with the HITT model, confirmatory factor analyses supported a 12-factor solution with the following factors under theorized dimensions: I. Family Vulnerability: (1) Dysregulated and Trauma-related Communication; (2)Trauma-influenced Parenting, (3) Fear; (4) Distress; II. (5) Family Resilience, III. Offspring Vulnerability: (6) Escape; (7) Heightened Responsibility; (8) Trauma-related distress; IV. Offspring Resilience: (9) Coping; (10) Belonging; (11) Values; V. (12) Historical Moral injury. The 12-factor model showed acceptable to good internal validity, and comparison with an existing measure of transgenerational Holocaust trauma indicated good concurrent validity. Finally, the HITT-Q demonstrated predictive validity for mental health symptoms and current resilience.Conclusions: The current study represents the first step in validating the HITT-Q as a comprehensive measure of historical intergenerational vulnerability and resilience. Our findings provide strong support for the underlying model, and suggest that the HITT-Q represents a valuable scale for both research and historical trauma-informed care.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/20008066.2024.2329510Transgenerational traumahistorical traumaholocaustresiliencevulnerabilityTrauma transgeneracional |
| spellingShingle | Vera Békés Claire J. Starrs Assessing transgenerational trauma transmission: development and psychometric properties of the Historical Intergenerational Trauma Transmission Questionnaire (HITT-Q) European Journal of Psychotraumatology Transgenerational trauma historical trauma holocaust resilience vulnerability Trauma transgeneracional |
| title | Assessing transgenerational trauma transmission: development and psychometric properties of the Historical Intergenerational Trauma Transmission Questionnaire (HITT-Q) |
| title_full | Assessing transgenerational trauma transmission: development and psychometric properties of the Historical Intergenerational Trauma Transmission Questionnaire (HITT-Q) |
| title_fullStr | Assessing transgenerational trauma transmission: development and psychometric properties of the Historical Intergenerational Trauma Transmission Questionnaire (HITT-Q) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Assessing transgenerational trauma transmission: development and psychometric properties of the Historical Intergenerational Trauma Transmission Questionnaire (HITT-Q) |
| title_short | Assessing transgenerational trauma transmission: development and psychometric properties of the Historical Intergenerational Trauma Transmission Questionnaire (HITT-Q) |
| title_sort | assessing transgenerational trauma transmission development and psychometric properties of the historical intergenerational trauma transmission questionnaire hitt q |
| topic | Transgenerational trauma historical trauma holocaust resilience vulnerability Trauma transgeneracional |
| url | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/20008066.2024.2329510 |
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