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Living in “survival mode:” Intergenerational transmission of trauma from the Holodomor genocide of 1932–1933 in Ukraine
Abstract
Qualitative methodology was used to investigate the intergenerational impact of the 1932-1933 Holodomor genocide on three generations in 15 Ukrainian families. Each family, residing in Ukraine, consisted of a first generation survivor, a second generation adult child and a third generation adult grandchild of the same line. The findings show that the Holodomor, a genocide that claimed millions of lives by forced starvation, still exerts substantial effects on generations born decades later. Specifically, thematic analysis of the 45 semi-structured, in-depth interviews, done between July and November 2010, revealed that a constellation of emotions, inner states and trauma-based coping strategies emerged in the survivors during the genocide period and were subsequently transmitted into the second and third generations. This constellation, summarized by participants as living in "survival mode," included horror, fear, mistrust, sadness, shame, anger, stress and anxiety, decreased self-worth, stockpiling of food, reverence for food, overemphasis on food and overeating, inability to discard unneeded items, an indifference toward others, social hostility and risky health behaviours. Since both the family and community-society were found to be involved in trauma transmission, the findings highlight the importance of multi-framework approaches for studying and healing collective trauma.
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“Specific epigenetic mechanisms were not identified in these reports, although the persistence of these behavioral patterns across generations may reflect stress-response and metabolic adaptation (93).”
From Epigenetic changes associated with multi-generational trauma: characterization, mechanisms, and therapeutics (2026) · cites this paper as [93]
In the citing paper
“Second and third generation descendants have reported persistent “survivor mode” behaviors characterized by fear, hypervigilance, food hoarding, and overeating, despite not directly experiencing the original trauma (93).”
From Epigenetic changes associated with multi-generational trauma: characterization, mechanisms, and therapeutics (2026) · cites this paper as [93]
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Metadata
- Authors
- Bezo, B., & Maggi, S.
- Affiliations
- Carleton University (CA)
- Corresponding author
- Bezo, Brent
- ORCID
- Maggi, Stefania
- Venue
- Social Science & Medicine
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2015-06
- Volume
- 134
- Pages
- 87-94
- ISSN
- 0277-9536 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2009553381
- Cited by
- 161
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 18 · 2025: 21 · 2024: 16 · 2023: 18 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 17 · 2020: 41 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 3
- FWCI
- 28.05
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Social Science & Medicine (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada's (doctoral fellowship) reference number: (752-2013-2539)
- Ontario Graduate Scholarship Program
- Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies of the University of Alberta
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Cultural Studies › Memory, History, Trauma, Identity
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › History › Memory, violence, and history
- Social Sciences › Cultural Studies › Memory, Trauma, and Commemoration
- Keywords
- Holodomor, intergenerational trauma transmission, collective trauma, Ukrainian family, survival mode, food hoarding, overeating, health risk behaviors, guilt and shame
- MeSH terms
- Adaptation, Psychological, Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic, Ukraine, Intergenerational Relations, Survivors, History, 20th Century, Young Adult, Genocide
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