VULNERABILITY TO POSTTRAUMATIC-STRESS-DISORDER IN ADULT OFFSPRING OF HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS

Objective: There has been considerable controversy regarding the impac t of the Holocaust on the second generation, but few empirical data ar e available that systematically document trauma exposure and psychiatr ic disorder in these individuals. To obtain such data, the authors exa mined the prevalence of stress and exposure to trauma, current and lif etime posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and other psychiatric diag noses in a group of adult offspring of Holocaust survivors (N=100) and a demographically similar comparison group (N=44). Method: Subjects w ere recruited from both community and clinical populations and were ev aluated with the use of structured clinical instruments. Stress and tr auma history were evaluated with the Antonovsky Life Crises Scale and the Trauma History Questionnaire, PTSD was diagnosed with the Clinicia n Administered PTSD Scale, and other psychiatric disorders were evalua ted. according to the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV. Result s: The data show that although adult offspring of Holocaust survivors did not experience more traumatic events, they had a greater prevalenc e of current and lifetime PTSD and other psychiatric diagnoses than th e demographically similar comparison subjects. This was true in both c ommunity and clinical subjects. Conclusions: The findings demonstrate an increased vulnerability to PTSD and other psychiatric disorders amo ng offspring of Holocaust survivors, thus identifying adult offspring as a possible high-risk group within which to explore the individual d ifferences that constitute risk factors for PTSD.