Intergenerational Trauma in Asian Americans: What is it and how can we heal it?
When we reflect on our mental health and its causes, we often dive deep into our own past to make sense of our current behaviors or feelings. But what if the roots of some issues run deeper?
Intergenerational trauma refers to the way certain experiences can have an impact that is passed down through generations – both behaviourally and genetically – leaving a lasting imprint of an event, even on individuals who didn’t directly experience it themselves.
For example, your grandparents may have experienced an intensely challenging war. To cope, they developed self-soothing mechanisms and worldviews like hoarding or a scarcity mindset, which they taught to your parents who in turn influenced you.
In these subtle ways, intergenerational trauma affects entire families and especially Asian families who live in multigenerational homes. This article helps destigmatize this topic by shedding light on the science and impact of intergenerational trauma, as well as provide culturally-informed and practical suggestions for healing these wounds.
What is generational trauma?
Generational trauma refers to trauma experienced collectively by a single generation.
For example, the entire generation that experienced the Korean War shares this same traumatic experience. Think about the generation that you belong to - can you name some of the features, trends or moments that define your generation?
What is intergenerational trauma?
Intergenerational trauma is a trauma that is passed down between generations, one that is inherited almost the same way that a physical trait or disorder might be. Think about your parents or kids (if you have them) - can you name some of the traits that define their generation and how does it compare to your generation’s features that you brainstormed above?
What’s the difference between generational trauma and intergenerational trauma?
While generational trauma is shared within one generation who have experienced the same trigger event, intergenerational trauma regards the way trauma can be passed down between different generations.
Intergenerational trauma can stem from a generational trauma, e.g. your grandparents are part of the generation that experienced the Korean War (a generational trauma), and its impacts have been passed down to you (intergenerational trauma).
But it can also stem from an individual, personal trauma, e.g. your mother’s mother suffered from alcohol addiction, so she had to take care of all her siblings, and she has passed its impact down to you. The trauma she experienced was not generational – she did not share it with her generation on a collective level – however she has passed it down to you, intergenerationally.
One of the most challenging parts of intergenerational trauma is that you may inherit behaviors and mechanisms that match your parents’ or grandparents’ value system and circumstance, however they don’t reflect your personal value system or circumstance. Values and beliefs change over generations, so it can feel confusing to feel like you do things that don’t match how you view the world, yet you don’t really understand why.
The Science Behind Intergenerational Trauma
Intergenerational trauma has a scientific basis rooted in epigenetics, the study of how behaviors and environments can change the way genes are expressed. Trauma can leave molecular scars on our DNA through mechanisms like DNA methylation, which affects how genes are turned on or off.
Essentially, our bodies are programmed to pass on evolutionarily beneficial behaviours in order to increase the survival rate of our descendants. So, your parents may have developed responses that were protective and necessary for them to survive in their circumstances, but taken out of that context and placed in yours, they become “maladaptive” — aka disproportionate and not actually serving you.
This can happen in a whole variety of ways, from being passed down to you prenatally through the stress levels and behaviours of your mother while she was growing you, to being genetically encoded in your DNA from day one as your parents DNA morphed according to their environments through epigenetics, and then passed down to you.
Studies have shown that traumatic experiences—such as exposure to war, famine, or prolonged stress—can induce epigenetic changes that are passed down to future generations. These changes can alter how descendants respond to stress, anxiety, and emotional resilience, predisposing them to conditions like depression and PTSD.
One of the most well-known experiments demonstrating this was conducted on rats. Researchers exposed a generation of rats to a particular scent while administering electric shocks. The rats eventually associated the scent with pain, leading to a conditioned fear response. Remarkably, the offspring of these rats—who had never been shocked—exhibited the same fear response when exposed to the scent, despite never directly experiencing the trauma. This study highlights how trauma responses can be inherited biologically, showing that trauma can affect not only learned behaviors but also gene expression in future generations.
In humans, similar patterns have been observed. For example, research on the descendants of Holocaust survivors has found evidence of epigenetic markers related to stress and trauma in their offspring. These descendants exhibit higher levels of anxiety, depression, and PTSD, even though they did not directly experience the horrors of the Holocaust themselves. Studies have also revealed similar patterns in the children of war refugees and survivors of colonization and forced migration, where chronic stress and deprivation have led to intergenerational impacts on mental health.
For the Asian American community, the effects of traumatic historical events such as the Partition of India, the Korean War, and the Cultural Revolution are still being felt today. Families grappling with these histories are often navigating the psychological and emotional legacies of displacement, war, and cultural suppression, all of which have shaped the mental health of subsequent generations. These scientific findings underscore the profound ways trauma can be passed down, not just behaviorally, but biologically, creating complex legacies of inherited suffering.
Intergenerational Trauma in the Asian American Community
Asian Americans, in particular, often face a unique combination of intergenerational trauma and the pressures of assimilation. Historical traumas such as colonization, war, and displacement—along with the challenges of immigration and systemic racism—have left lasting imprints on many Asian American families.
Events like the Cambodian Genocide, the Vietnam War, the Cultural Revolution, or the Partition of India are examples of generational traumas that ripple across the decades, affecting descendants who may never have directly experienced the hardships but still carry their psychological effects.
These historical traumas are compounded by additional stressors like poverty, crime, and isolation, which are disproportionately felt by BIPOC communities. The intergenerational dynamic is compounded as many Asian American families live in multigenerational households (27% of Asian Americans live in homes with more than one generation). These can both provide support and exacerbate tensions.
Intergenerational trauma from the Cambodian Genocide
The Cambodian Genocide (1975-1979), orchestrated by the Khmer Rouge regime, led to the deaths of an estimated 1.7 million people, roughly 25% of the population. Many survivors fled to countries like the United States, bringing with them the unprocessed trauma of mass atrocities, starvation, and forced labor.
Still, for the children of these survivors, who grew up in relative safety, the effects of this trauma were still deeply present. They may not have experienced the genocide firsthand, but they inherited the grief, fear, and silence that defined their parents' lives. Films like First They Killed My Father (2017) highlight the experiences of survivors and the profound, often unspoken, psychological wounds that continue to affect subsequent generations.
Intergenerational trauma from the Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (1955-1975) not only devastated Vietnam but also led to the displacement of millions of people, many of whom fled to the U.S. as refugees. For these Vietnamese Americans, the war was a source of profound loss—of homes, loved ones, and cultural identities.
For their children, the trauma manifests in subtler ways, from witnessing their parents' emotional detachment to struggling with the guilt of having not experienced the war directly. The docu-series The Vietnam War touches on these issues, exploring how the war’s trauma continues to haunt families. Similarly, the film New Wave by Elizabeth Ai reveals a vulnerable expose of one woman’s reaction to intergenerational pain. Studies show that children of Vietnamese refugees often deal with intergenerational PTSD, inheriting feelings of fear, distrust, and a sense of not belonging.
Intergenerational trauma from the Chinese Cultural Revolution
The Cultural Revolution in China (1966-1976) was a time of intense political persecution, when millions of Chinese citizens were targeted as enemies of the state, tortured, or killed. Families were torn apart, many experiencing imprisonment or exile.
For Chinese American families, the emotional fallout continues to shape relationships across generations. Books like Wild Swans by Jung Chang explore how the Cultural Revolution fractured families, and studies have shown that many descendants of Cultural Revolution survivors struggle with psychological stress and internalized fear of authority. If you’re part of a multigenerational households, where older generations may avoid discussing the past, you might feel alienated by the emotional distance, dealing with the experience of intergenerational trauma, but with little communication to create context and understanding around it.
The complexity of multigenerational households
For many Asian American families, the experience of living in multigenerational households (which is more common among Asian American families than any other racial group) can be both a source of support and tension. On the one hand, the close family ties offer a sense of continuity and care, but on the other hand, it means you are closer to more family dynamics that you could learn and inherit while growing up.
Living in a home with both your parents and grandparents, you may find that even your parents are still under the influence of their parents, upholding certain behaviors passed down to them, and in such close proximity and with such high exposure to other people’s traumas and coping mechanisms, it’s more likely that you will pick them up as a child.
Paradoxically, your family may take on the habit of emotional suppression as an attempt to protect you from harm and prevent their pain from being passed on – a tool often used by older generations. However, as a younger person of a generation that is demanding more vulnerability, this could feel like distance and a lack of intimacy to you, that feels like emotional neglect.
There doesn’t have to be such a black and white divide, though, between honoring and respecting your culture and practicing a healthy degree of emotional maturity. Differentiating between a lack of empathy and respect (which aren’t core tenets of any culture) and emotional distance or conflict avoidance within your family can help you have more fruitful conversations where both sides feel heard and understood.
The Signs of Intergenerational Trauma
The signs of intergenerational trauma are often subtle but profound. You may notice behavior patterns that feel ingrained, like an unexplained sense of scarcity or fear, even in objectively safe situations. Or perhaps you feel frustration or resentment toward your parents, not fully understanding why. Resentment toward older generations without a clear source.
These impacts can be isolating, making it difficult to relate to peers who don’t share the same family history or cultural expectations. Can you relate to some of the following experiences?
Feeling caught between your heritage and your present life
For many descendants of trauma survivors, the values, traditions, and expectations passed down from older generations can feel at odds with the realities of modern life, particularly in Western societies. You might feel pressure to honor the sacrifices and hardships your family endured while simultaneously trying to forge your own identity. This internal conflict can lead to feelings of guilt or confusion about whether you’re living up to your family’s legacy, creating an emotional tension that can be difficult to resolve.
Engaging in past behavior patterns that no longer serve you
If your ancestors experienced war, famine, or displacement, they may have developed survival mechanisms like hoarding resources, maintaining hypervigilance, or avoiding risks. Even if you are in a stable and safe environment today, you might find yourself clinging to these behaviors, feeling a deep-rooted sense of anxiety or scarcity without fully understanding why. This can manifest as over-preparing for worst-case scenarios or being overly cautious, even in situations that don’t call for it. Furthermore, you may carry past habits even when your present situation has changed; for example, you may be extremely frugal with spending even though your financial situation has improved.
Resentment towards older generations without a clear reason
You might find yourself angry or distant from parents or grandparents for reasons that seem difficult to articulate. This often stems from the emotional suppression or survival tactics they employed to cope with their own trauma, which can create emotional distance or misunderstanding in family relationships. You may feel frustrated by their inability to be emotionally vulnerable or open, without realizing that these behaviors were developed as protective mechanisms in response to the hardships they endured. In some cases, you can feel tension choosing between “Asian” and “American” ways or fight with your elders because you prefer American customs, but then feel guilty for not “respecting them.” This is a hard balance - we understand it firsthand!
Difficulty relating to your peers
You might feel isolated when others don’t understand the weight of cultural and familial obligations that you carry, or the long-lasting effects of trauma. For example, while your friends might be focused on individual success or self-care, you could feel obligated to prioritize family responsibilities or feel an underlying sense of danger or instability that makes it hard to fully engage in everyday experiences. This disconnect can deepen feelings of loneliness or alienation, and make it hard for you to find comfort and solace in one of your most trusted places – your friends. Sometimes, you may even feel distant from your own ethnic group or have tried to distinguish yourself from other Asians to be accepted by non-Asian groups.
Unexplained Emotional Reactions to Everyday Situations
You might feel overwhelming fear or anxiety when faced with changes or challenges that don’t seem objectively threatening. This could be a sign that past traumas—whether they involve war, displacement, or deprivation—are being unconsciously triggered. These reactions are often deeply embedded in your emotional and physiological responses, inherited from generations before you. They can manifest as irrational fears, chronic anxiety, or an inability to trust in security and stability, even when there’s no immediate danger present.
In recognizing these signs, it's important to understand that intergenerational trauma operates on both a psychological and biological level, shaping the way we engage with the world and our relationships. Healing begins by identifying these patterns and working toward breaking cycles that no longer serve our well-being.
Healing Intergenerational Trauma: Breaking the Cycle
Healing requires conscious effort and often begins with one person—a cycle breaker—who chooses to address and process the trauma inherited from previous generations. This work can be difficult and make you feel like the black sheep of your family, but it is essential for not only healing yourself but also freeing future generations from the cycle.
At Anise Health, we provide personalized care plans that acknowledge your unique needs and your family’s particular history. Our care team works together with you to create a custom plan. Here’s an example of a 5-step process for healing intergenerational trauma that we’d work together with you to implement:
Research your family’s history: Understanding the experiences of your ancestors provides context for your emotional landscape.
Write a letter to caregivers in their native language: Communication can be healing, especially when it honors your family's cultural background. Putting your words down helps you craft your thoughts in a calm environment and on your terms, so you don’t feel upset or flustered by others’ reactions.
Role model self-care and boundaries: Break harmful patterns by demonstrating kindness to yourself and others.
Unpack family secrets with curiosity: Gently explore the hidden stories that may hold the key to understanding intergenerational patterns.
Find joy and support in community: Find spaces where you feel safe and understood, whether through peer groups or culturally competent therapy.
Healing intergenerational trauma involves paying tribute to the resilience of your heritage while consciously choosing a path forward that prioritizes emotional well-being. By understanding the root of inherited behaviors and experiences, you can rewrite your narrative and create a healthier, more balanced future for yourself and your future family.
Through Anise’s culturally responsive care, we offer the tools and support you need to move forward on your journey of recovery and healing. Join us in breaking the cycle of intergenerational trauma, starting by submitting our short intake form here.
