Introduction:
Family violence is passed down through generations. Family violence is a complicated issue having psychological, social, and cultural effects (Smriti, 2020). Trauma-informed treatment of intergenerational family violence must address the root reasons and assist all family members. Family violence, especially intergenerational, confronts people, families, and society (Smriti, 2020). The widespread issue has psychological, social, and cultural effects that require a trauma-informed assessment and therapy. Intergenerational family violence is the transmission of violent behaviour, including physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, from one generation to the next (Smriti, 2020). Personal experiences, familial ties, and sociocultural surroundings shape its intricate dynamics. A theoretical framework is needed to understand intergenerational family violence’s various origins and factors (Smriti, 2020). Attachment, social learning, and ecological systems theories can help us understand how families perpetuate violence. Intergenerational family violence must be assessed and treated multidimensionally (Smriti, 2020). The approach recognizes that violence affects families, systems, and society. Therapists can identify trauma and its impact on family relations using a trauma-informed approach. The review seeks to help marital and family therapists understand and treat intergenerational family violence (Smriti, 2020). Therefore, the review will present trauma-informed ways of addressing this complicated issue by reviewing trends, theoretical foundations, evaluation methodologies, and treatment suggestions.
Family Violence:
According to Humphreys et al., 2020, intergenerational family violence includes physical, emotional, sexual, and neglect. Families with a history of violence often have it. Children who watch or experience violence are more prone to repeat it in their relationships (Humphreys et al., 2020). Socioeconomic status, cultural norms, substance addiction, mental health difficulties, and low resources can influence violence transmission.
Theoretical Basis:
Theories explain intergenerational familial violence. According to social learning theory, people learn violent behaviours from their primary caregivers through observation, imitation, and reinforcement (Humphreys et al., 2020). The paradigm emphasizes modelling and early intervention to stop violence. The attachment theory links aggressive behaviour to insecure attachment ties. Children with unreliable or abusive caregivers may struggle to build healthy attachments and use violence as a coping technique.
Multifaceted Assessment and Treatment:
Humphreys et al., 2020 reveal that intergenerational family violence requires a trauma-informed multidimensional strategy. Violence impacts people in numerous ways, including physical, emotional, psychological, and social (Humphreys et al., 2020). It entails a complete examination that considers each family member’s circumstances and seeks to understand the trauma and dynamics that cause violent conduct. The strategies set by Humphreys et al., 2020 involve the following:
Safety and Stabilization: Family members must be physically and emotionally safe. Collaborative safety planning should include immediate protection and emergency services.
Trauma-Informed Assessment: Assessing each family member’s trauma history, strengths, and needs. The assessment should consider cultural sensitivity and intersecting identities.
Individual and family trauma-focused treatment for victims and abusers. Individual treatment helps trauma survivors heal and build healthy coping skills, while group or family therapy addresses underlying issues, improves communication, and promotes healthier relationships.
Parenting Support and Education: Promoting nonviolent discipline, self-regulation, and stable attachment relationships through specialized parenting programs. Educating parents breaks the cycle of violence and improves family life.
Collaborative Interventions: Working with child protective services, law enforcement, and community organizations to coordinate efforts and access resources. Collaboration can strengthen family support and reduce systematic violence. Therefore, trauma-informed approaches to intergenerational family violence must be multifaceted to address its complexity and Marriage and Family Therapists (MFTs) can diagnose and treat intergenerational family violence by studying its tendencies and theoretical underpinnings.
Intergenerational Family Violence Treatment Guidelines:
Individual Therapy:
Morelli et al., 2021 state that intergenerational family violence treatment requires individual therapy. It gives survivors a safe place to process their trauma, manage mental health difficulties, and learn better coping skills. EMDR, CBT, and Narrative Therapy can help trauma survivors recover. These methods lessen trauma symptoms, boost resilience, and encourage personal growth.
Group therapy:
Intergenerational family violence survivors and perpetrators benefit from group therapy (Morelli et al., 2021). Survivors can share their stories, validate each other, and learn from others in group therapy. Group therapy teaches survivors assertiveness, boundary-setting, and healthy communication. Group therapy can improve perpetrator accountability, challenge misguided views, and improve relationships (Morelli et al., 2021). Group therapy promotes self-improvement and community.
Family therapy:
Family therapy addresses intergenerational family violence by improving communication, conflict resolution, and relationships (Morelli et al., 2021). Therapists collaborate with family members to uncover violence patterns, investigate causes, and create change methods. Structural family therapy, solution-focused short therapy, and emotionally focused therapy are often used to help family members recognize and change problematic patterns, improve empathy and understanding, and improve interactions.
Trauma-Informed Methods:
Due to its enormous impact, trauma-informed treatment is necessary for intergenerational family violence (Morelli et al., 2021). It involves fostering a secure and empowering atmosphere, valuing client autonomy and choice, and acknowledging the interconnection of people and systems. Trauma-informed therapists avoid traumatization and use trauma-specific therapies to promote healing and resilience (Morelli et al., 2021). Grounding, relaxation, bodily experience, and awareness are examples.
Systemic Collaborations:
Intergenerational family violence necessitates collaboration between child protection services, legal authorities, and community organizations (Morelli et al., 2021). MFTs can work with these systems to protect family members and provide services for their clients (Morelli et al., 2021). Collaboration allows coordinated activities, information exchange, and a comprehensive support network for violence-affected families (Morelli et al., 2021). MFTs can teach other professionals about intergenerational family violence and its treatment.
Skills and Psychoeducation:
To end violence, survivors and perpetrators need psychoeducation and skills training. Psychoeducation helps people understand how violence affects them and their families, challenges mistaken beliefs, and encourages empathy and accountability. Skills training teaches nonviolent communication, conflict resolution, parenting, emotional management, and coping. These abilities help people build healthy relationships, manage stress, and end intergenerational violence. Thus, individual, group, and family therapy are needed to address intergenerational familial violence. Mental health professionals, particularly MFTs, can help survivors heal, hold abusers accountable, and improve family dynamics by using trauma-informed approaches, collaborative interventions, and tailored treatment strategies. These key therapy suggestions help MFTs break.
Intergenerational family violence treatment relies on ethics. Therapists, especially MFTs, must follow ethical standards when treating victims of violence. Treatment ethics include:
Therapists must value client confidentiality and privacy. Clear standards and informed permission processes for confidentiality restrictions, exceptions (such as where there is a danger of harm to self or others), and client record preservation and protection are essential. MFTs should tell clients about their rights and potential confidentiality constraints to maintain confidence and safety.
Dual Relationships and Boundaries: MFTs must maintain clear boundaries and prevent dual relationships that could affect their impartiality, professional judgment, or client well-being. It includes avoiding personal or social interactions and focusing on the client’s best interests in therapy. MFTs should promote a safe and equitable therapy environment for survivors and perpetrators of violence.
Cultural Sensitivity and Competence: MFTs should appreciate clients’ backgrounds, beliefs, and values. Understanding that cultural influences may affect the manifestation and perception of intergenerational family violence is crucial (Radford et al., 2019). MFTs should learn about diverse cultures, self-reflect, and consult as needed.
Informed Consent and Autonomy: All therapy clients must give informed consent. MFTs should explain the therapy’s aims, dangers, benefits, alternatives, and client rights and duties (Radford et al., 2019). Informed consent gives clients the knowledge they need to make treatment decisions.
Legal and Ethical Obligations: MFTs must report suspected child abuse or neglect. It’s important to know the reporting obligations and respond quickly if there’s a reasonable suspicion of child or vulnerable adult harm. MFTs should also be aware of legal constraints on information sharing and work with relevant professionals and organizations to protect their clients.
Professional Competence and Continuing Education: MFTs should continue their intergenerational family violence education, training, and supervision. Staying current on family violence research, evidence-based practices, and ethical principles is crucial. Complex cases or particular skills require MFTs to consult or refer. However, intergenerational family violence treatment begins with ethics. MFTs can foster client well-being and autonomy by adhering to confidentiality, boundaries, cultural sensitivity, informed consent, and professional competence (Radford et al., 2019). Ethics ensure competent, accountable, and ethical treatment for intergenerational family violence victims, families, and systems.
Intergenerational family violence treatment must be sensitive, courteous, and effective for many cultural groups. MFTs must understand and treat cultural variables that affect family violence. MFTs can provide culturally responsive care by recognizing and embracing cultural issues. Working with varied groups affected by intergenerational family violence requires cultural competence. MFTs should study diverse cultures, examine their prejudices, and learn about their client’s values, beliefs, and traditions (Radford et al., 2019). MFTs can treat intergenerational family violence with sensitivity, tolerance, and understanding of its specific cultural circumstances. Treatment involves language and communication. MFTs should give counselling in the client’s preferred language. To communicate effectively, use interpreters or culturally competent colleagues. Knowing cultural differences in nonverbal communication methods, including gestures, eye contact, and personal space, can help clients understand and connect (Radford et al., 2019). Many cultures value traditional healing. MFTs should respect and use these methods when suitable and client-acceptable. Cultural counsellors or consultants can improve therapy by revealing ancient healing procedures. MFTs can engage clients and validate their culture by using culturally appropriate treatments. Intersectionality highlights that multiple identities affect violent experiences. Intergenerational family violence treatment should examine the complex intersections of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, financial situation, and disability (Radford et al., 2019). Understanding these intersections’ specific problems and strengths helps adapt effective treatment solutions to clients’ requirements. Intergenerational family abuse victims also value religion and spirituality. MFTs should respect and integrate religious and spiritual views into treatment. Clients can benefit from consulting faith leaders or spiritual counsellors. However, it is crucial to be aware of religious or cultural traditions that may perpetuate or justify violence and navigate these relationships ethically and effectively.
Intergenerational family violence requires community and societal support. MFTs should aggressively involve community support systems in treatment. Community leaders, cultural organizations, and support groups can give clients resources, cultural validation, and a sense of belonging (Radford et al., 2019). By addressing structural causes that cause family violence, these community organizations can improve therapy and sustain change. Intergenerational family violence treatment should also incorporate historical trauma. The historical and cultural background of family violence is crucial. MFTs should know how trauma affects families. MFTs can use trauma-informed care to address the fundamental causes of violence and heal from historical and intergenerational trauma. Therefore, intergenerational family violence treatment must be culturally sensitive. MFTs should be culturally aware and competent, accept and incorporate traditional therapeutic traditions, understand intersectionality, examine religion and spirituality, engage with
Intergenerational family violence research has advanced. However, there are still gaps and limitations. Recognizing and resolving these limitations is essential for field advancement and intervention efficacy. Limitations and research areas include:
Limited Diversity and Generalizability: Much research on intergenerational family violence has focused on select communities and cultural situations, neglecting vulnerable groups. Ethnic and racial minorities, LGBTQ+ people and families, immigrant groups, and people with disabilities need research (Radford et al., 2019). It will assist in understanding how cultural, social, and institutional factors affect intergenerational family violence and inform culturally relevant solutions.
Longitudinal Studies: Most research on this subject has used cross-sectional designs, which capture the current condition but not the dynamics of intergenerational family violence across time. Longitudinal research can reveal the long-term impacts, trajectories, and patterns of intergenerational family violence (Radford et al., 2019). The research can help illuminate the causes of family violence.
Therapy Outcomes and Efficacy: There is a growing corpus of research on intergenerational family violence therapy programs, but comprehensive investigations on outcomes and efficacy are needed. Comparative investigations of therapy methods, modalities, and interventions are needed to find the best solutions for this complicated issue (Radford et al., 2019). Evidence-based practice requires long-term treatment effects and success determinants study.
Trauma-Informed Approaches: Intergenerational family violence needs more trauma-informed research. Trauma-informed care is crucial, but family violence studies on its efficacy are needed. It includes studying how trauma affects survivors and abusers and creating interventions to restore the family structure and foster resilience.
Intersectionality and Cultural Adaptations: Intergenerational family violence research should examine the intersections of identities and the particular problems they present to individuals and families. Intersecting identities, including race, gender, socioeconomic class, and sexual orientation, can guide culturally sensitive and responsive responses (Shevell & Denov 2021). Studies on adapting and implementing evidence-based approaches for multiple cultural contexts are essential to ensure relevance and efficacy across populations.
Preventative and Early Intervention: Most intergenerational family violence research has focused on therapy, but preventative and early intervention measures are needed. Research on risk and protective variables, prevention programs, and early interventions can prevent the problem from becoming entrenched in family systems (Shevell & Denov 2021). Research can disrupt the cycle of violence and improve family relationships (Shevell & Denov 2021). Therefore, intergenerational family violence assessment and therapy research has advanced, yet there are still large gaps in knowledge. Addressing these constraints requires longitudinal studies, varied demographics, treatment outcomes, and trauma-informed approaches (Shevell & Denov 2021). Identity, cultural adjustments, and prevention should also be studied. Addressing these gaps would help the field provide more effective and culturally sensitive interventions for intergenerational family violence victims.
Conclusively, intergenerational family violence evaluation and therapy require an in-depth understanding of its intricacies and causes. The multidisciplinary diagnostic and therapy method helps address individual, family, and systemic problems. Therapists can better comprehend trauma and family dynamics with a trauma-informed viewpoint. Attachment, social learning, and ecological systems theories can explain intergenerational family violence. These theoretical frameworks assist therapists in identifying risk factors, examining early childhood experiences, and understanding how individual, relational, and contextual factors perpetuate family violence. Intergenerational family violence treatment emphasizes individual and structural approaches. Individual counselling can help survivors and perpetrators process their trauma, build coping skills, and address their violence. It also examines personal beliefs, attitudes, and interactions that perpetuate violence. Family therapy and group therapies help address relational dynamics in violent households. Family therapy explores communication patterns, power inequalities, and intergenerational violence. By incorporating all family members, therapists can support healing, healthy boundaries, effective communication, and problem-solving. Treatment ethics emphasize informed consent, confidentiality, cultural sensitivity, and the therapist’s safety role. MFTs must consider power dynamics, prejudices, and client re-traumatization and try to create a safe therapeutic environment. Ethical rules help navigate intergenerational family violence and protect client autonomy. Intergenerational family violence treatment requires cultural awareness. MFTs must appreciate clients’ cultures, beliefs, and values and use culturally appropriate therapies. Therapists can build trust, engage clients, and encourage culturally sustainable transformation by addressing language, traditional healing methods, religious and spiritual beliefs, and community support networks. Intergenerational family violence research has advanced, yet gaps remain. Research should cover varied populations, longitudinal designs, and treatment outcomes to promote generalizability and intervention efficacy. Trauma-informed approaches, intersectionality, cultural adaptations, and prevention strategies must be studied to understand intergenerational family violence and develop evidence-based practices that promote healing, resilience, and prevention. Therefore, intergenerational familial violence must be addressed on an individual, family, and societal level. Therapists can deliver successful, culturally sensitive treatment by integrating trauma-informed care, ethics, and culture. Research on intergenerational family violence will influence evidence-based interventions that promote healing, resilience, and good family dynamics.
Reference
Humphreys, C., Hegarty, K. L., Gleeson, S., Wheeler, J., Brown, S., Tarzia, L., & Hooker, L. (2020). Early engagement with families in the health sector to address domestic abuse and family violence: Policy directions. https://anrows.intersearch.com.au/anrowsjspui/bitstream/1/20704/1/Early%2BEngagement%2BSafer%2BFamilies%2BCentre%2B301020.pdf
Morelli, N. M., Duong, J., Evans, M. C., Hong, K., Garcia, J., Ogbonnaya, I. N., & Villodas, M. T. (2021). Intergenerational transmission of abusive parenting: role of prospective maternal distress and family violence. Child maltreatment, 26(2), 172-181. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1077559520947816
Radford, L., Richardson Foster, H., Hargreaves, P., & Devaney, J. (2019). Research review: Early childhood and the ‘intergenerational cycle of domestic violence’. https://clok.uclan.ac.uk/33529/
Shevell, M. C., & Denov, M. S. (2021). A multidimensional model of resilience: Family, community, national, global and intergenerational resilience. Child Abuse & Neglect, 119, 105035. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0145213421001083
Smriti, R. (2020). MULTI-DIMENSIONAL APPROACH FOR WOMEN EMPOWERMENT. https://www.ijrar.org/papers/IJRAR19S1676.pdf
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