#Intergenerational transmission of trauma cultural revolution free#

“Now, if that certain aspect of your gene is, the cancer is free to spread.” “For example, there might be certain aspects of a gene that protects you from cancer,” said Anisman. These modifications result in fundamental biological changes within the individual. Rather, chemical modifications to the DNA sequence result in some genes being silenced or being expressed in greater abundance than before. Hymie Anisman, a professor in the department of neuroscience at Carleton University.Įpigenetics is a process in which environmental factors change the expression of a person’s genes. The role of epigeneticsĪlthough there are many different processes by which intergenerational trauma can be transmitted, epigenetics is a prime candidate, explained Dr. Understanding how intergenerational trauma is transmitted at a genetic level has the potential to support the development of programs that could help people with intergenerational trauma overcome the past. Scientists are also investigating how an aspect of our biology called epigenetics plays a role in the passing of trauma through generations. Matheson said supporting the offspring of survivors by building stronger cultural support and identity is an important part of healing. According to the First Nations Information Governance Centre, 37.2 per cent of people who had at least one parent attend a residential school thought about committing suicide at some point in their life, compared to 25.7 per cent who did not have a parent attend. This process is called intergenerational trauma, defined as the transmission of the experience of trauma in one generation to negatively affect the wellness of the next.

“Even though the next generation didn’t actually experience the trauma, they show many of the same behaviours, emotions, and mental wellness that one would see in someone who has experienced a trauma,” she said.

Kim Matheson, a neuroscience professor at Carleton University who studies the social determinants of health in Indigenous populations. According to the First Nations Centre, residential school survivors are more likely to suffer mental health problems compared to those who did not attend.ĭecades after the last residential school closed, the trauma of survivors can continue to negatively affect their offspring, explained Dr. Most were exposed to frequent physical, sexual and emotional abuse. These government-led schools were created to assimilate Indigenous children into colonial society and to be ashamed of their culture and beliefs. From the 1870s to the 1990s, thousands of Indigenous children in Canada were forcibly removed from their homes and sent into the Indian residential school system.