Assessing transgenerational trauma transmission: development and psychometric properties of the Historical Intergenerational Trauma Transmission Questionnaire (HITT-Q)
Creators: name: Békés, Vera
name: Starrs, Claire J.
Publisher: name: Taylor & Francis
Year: 2024
Subjects: subject: Environmental Sciences not elsewhere classified
subject: Ecology
subject: FOS: Biological sciences
subject: Biological Sciences not elsewhere classified
subject: Science Policy
subject: Computational Biology

description: <b>Objective/Background:</b> Despite increasing attention on transgenerational trauma, currently no comprehensive model and measure exists to be applied on various populations. This study represents the first step in the validation of such a model and a related scale. The Historical Intergenerational Trauma Questionnaire (HITT-Q) assesses family and offspring self-reported vulnerability and resilience, as well as offspring historical moral injury and current levels of insidious trauma. <b>Method:</b> We developed the HITT-Q based on the cross-population model (HITT model; [Starrs, C. &amp; Békés, V. (2024). Historical and transgenerational trauma: A conceptual framework. <i>Traumatology</i>. In Press]) which incorporates key findings in existing population specific studies. For initial validation of the model and its measurement, Holocaust survivors’ offspring (<i>N</i> = 1104) completed the HITT-Q, measures of current mental health symptoms (PTSD, C-PTSD, anxiety, and depression), and a resilience scale. <b>Results:</b> In line with the HITT model, confirmatory factor analyses supported a 12-factor solution with the following factors under theorized dimensions: I. Family Vulnerability: (1) Dysregulated and Trauma-related Communication; (2)Trauma-influenced Parenting, (3) Fear; (4) Distress; II. (5) Family Resilience, III. Offspring Vulnerability: (6) Escape; (7) Heightened Responsibility; (8) Trauma-related distress; IV. Offspring Resilience: (9) Coping; (10) Belonging; (11) Values; V. (12) Historical Moral injury. The 12-factor model showed acceptable to good internal validity, and comparison with an existing measure of transgenerational Holocaust trauma indicated good concurrent validity. Finally, the HITT-Q demonstrated predictive validity for mental health symptoms and current resilience. <b>Conclusions:</b> The current study represents the first step in validating the HITT-Q as a comprehensive measure of historical intergenerational vulnerability and resilience. Our findings provide strong support for the underlying model, and suggest that the HITT-Q represents a valuable scale for both research and historical trauma-informed care. The papers provides support for the underlying model of historical and transgenerational trauma.Findings showed that the Historical Intergenerational Trauma Questionnaire (HITT-Q) has 12 factors, and that it has good psychometric qualities, including internal, concurrent, and predictive validity.The Historical Intergenerational Trauma Questionnaire (HITT-Q) represent a valuable scale for both research and historical trauma-informed care. The papers provides support for the underlying model of historical and transgenerational trauma. Findings showed that the Historical Intergenerational Trauma Questionnaire (HITT-Q) has 12 factors, and that it has good psychometric qualities, including internal, concurrent, and predictive validity. The Historical Intergenerational Trauma Questionnaire (HITT-Q) represent a valuable scale for both research and historical trauma-informed care.