Prevalence, course, and risk factors for mental disorders in young adults and their parents in East and West Germany

In this article. the authors present data from two longitudinal studies sta rting long before German reunification in East and West Germany. After unif ication, 533 twenty-five-year-olds and their parents were interviewed about mental health status, experience of life events and difficulties, and soci al support. The findings show that (a) externalizing disorders were more co mmon in West Germany. whereas internalizing disorders were more common in E ast Germany: (b) there was a generation-specific differential course of dis orders in East Germany after unification; and (c) the detrimental effect of life events and chronic difficulties on mental health could be weakened by kin and nonkin social support.