Exploring Intergenerational Trauma in Forced Migrant Populations: A Qualitative Meta-Synthesis

Forced migrant populations endure trauma that reverberates across generations, yet little is known about how descendants interpret these legacies. This study used a Qualitative Interpretive Meta-Synthesis (QIMS) to examine intergenerational trauma in forced migrant families. An October 2024 search across APA PsycNet, Web of Science, PubMed, PsycINFO, and the Social Sciences Citation Index yielded 776 studies. After screening, 17 met the inclusion criteria: peer-reviewed or dissertation work, published in English, and using qualitative methods. Data were coded and thematically synthesized through independent review and team triangulation. Four themes emerged: (a) trauma transmission through silence and partial disclosures, (b) cultural identity tensions, (c) disrupted family dynamics and parental roles, and (d) coping through community, storytelling, and collective healing. Findings underscore trauma’s psychological, cultural, structural, and familial transmission, highlighting the need for culturally grounded, community-based interventions.