Long-term effects on adult attachment in German occupation children born after World War II in comparison with a birth-cohort-matched representative sample of the German general population^*

* The research was conducted at the University of Leipzig

ABSTRACT

Background: Children born of war are a phenomenon of every conflict. At the end of World War II and thereafter, approximately 400,000 children were fathered by foreign soldiers and born to local women in Germany. Quantitative research on psychosocial consequences of growing up as German occupation child (GOC) has been missing so far.

Methods: This study examines adult attachment and its association with current depression in GOC (N = 146) using self-report instruments: Adult Attachment Scale, Patient Health Questionnaire. Data were compared to a birth-cohort-matched representative sample of the German population (BCMS; N = 786).

Results: GOC differ in both attachment dimensions (less comfortable with closeness/intimacy, lowered ability to depend on others) and adult attachment (more dismissive and fearful) compared to BCMS. Insecure adult attachment is associated with current depression.

Conclusion: GOC grew up under difficult circumstances (e.g. poverty, adverse events, and stigmatization). Even decades later they display more insecure attachment in current relationships. Findings underline the complex and long-term impact of their developmental conditions on attachment and current mental health.

KEYWORDS:

• Children born of war
• children born of occupation
• adult attachment
• depression
• life course

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank all participants of our study for dedicating their time and for their readiness to go back in memories that were not at all times happy places to return to. Special thanks to Ingvill Mochmann and those participants who additionally helped in constructing an instrument tailored to the reality of this rather hidden population. Furthermore, we would like to express our gratitude toward researchers (Sabine Lee, Ingvill Mochmann, Silke Satjukow, and Barbara Stelzl-Marx) and all representatives of platforms for children born of war who answered questions, and helped in recruiting participants and establishing communication networks. And last but not least thanks to Gabriele Schmutzer for creating the matched-samples and helping with syntax.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest and have nothing to disclose.

Notes

* The research was conducted at the University of Leipzig

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the State of Saxony [grant number WE-V-G-07-2-0612] with a PhD scholarship to fund the first author's work in this project. The University of Greifswald [BMBF grant number (FONE-100)] supported the start of the project with a starting grant for material.