Meta cognitive beliefs in posttraumatic stress disorder following forced displacement at the end of the Second World War in older adults and their offspring

Lena Jelinek*, Charlotte E. Wittekind, Michael Kellner, Steffen Moritz, Christoph Muhtz

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

16 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Introduction. The aim of the present study was to investigate (meta)cognitive beliefs related to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in a sample of individuals displaced as children at the end of the Second World War as well as transgenerational effects of trauma and PTSD on the offspring. Methods. Displaced individuals with (n=20) and without PTSD (n=24) and nondisplaced healthy controls (n=11), as well as one of their adult offspring, were assessed with the Metacognitions Questionnaire (MCQ-30). Older adults, formerly displaced in childhood, were additionally assessed with the Posttraumatic Cognitions Inventory (PTCI). Results. Dysfunctional beliefs (MCQ-30, PTCI) were particularly pronounced in formerly displaced individuals with PTSD, but not in the offspring generation. Conclusions. The findings suggest that in an aging group of displaced individuals with PTSD dysfunctional beliefs are associated with the disorder. Bias modification may help to attenuate symptomatology. No evidence was found for a transgenerational effect.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)452-462
Number of pages11
JournalCognitive Neuropsychiatry
Volume18
Issue number5
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2013
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Geriatric psychiatry
  • Metacognition
  • Metacognitions Questionnaire
  • Posttraumatic Cognitions Inventory
  • Refugee
  • Secondary trauma
  • World War II

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