Perspective to Practice: Theoretical Frameworks Explaining Intergenerational Trauma, Violence, and Maltreatment and Implications for the Therapeutic Response

Intergenerational trauma, violence, and maltreatment, in which symptoms or experiences of an ancestor’s trauma repeat or otherwise manifest in subsequent generations, presents a weighty societal challenge to which a multiplicity of therapeutic intervention strategies have been applied. Theoretical perspectives are antecedent to clinical and social intervention, informing decisions in both policy and practice. However, these frequently remain subliminal or imperceptible in the discourse, resulting in interventions that remain somewhat dislocated from their theoretical foundations. This narrative review seeks to summarize and discuss each of these theories as they apply to intergenerational trauma, violence, and maltreatment, and to reveal their potential association with specific intervention models or approaches. It positions flexibility between theories and the integration of theories as opportunities to reach new and enhanced understandings and to engender distinctive therapeutic interventions. An enriched understanding of the theories explaining intergenerational trauma, violence, and maltreatment, a deeper appreciation for the pertinence of theory for practice, and an incitement to blend theoretical perspectives in unique ways is, herewith, reached.