Twofold Role of a Minority Language in Historical Trauma: The Case of Lemko Minority in Poland
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12797/RRB.16.2020.16.07Keywords:
ethnic minority language, Lemko language, historical trauma, trauma symptoms, Lemkos, social cureAbstract
Tragic collective events bring about long-term consequences for the affected groups. They not only affect the immediate victims of trauma, but can also influence subsequent generations. In the present research, we examined the effects of minority language use on historical trauma. In a study of 237 Lemko participants, members of a severely victimized ethnic minority in Poland, we tested the effects of cognitive availability of historical trauma on three categories of trauma-related symptoms: emotional, behavioral, and depressive. The study found that minority language use is positively related to cognitive availability of trauma, but it also limits the effects of such availability on trauma-related symptoms. Based on this finding, we discuss the potential of minority language use to act as a social cure protecting from the negative psychological consequences of historical trauma.
References
Rusenko, Іvan. 2010. Rusenko – vybrane. Red. Petro Trohanovskіj. Krenicâ–Lіґnicâ: Stovarišynâ Lemkіv.
Atkinson, Judy. 2002. Trauma Trails, Recreating Song Lines. The Transgenerational Effects of Trauma in Indigenous Australia. North Melbourne, VIC: Spinifex Press.
Ball, Jessica, Moselle, Ken, Moselle, Sarah. 2013. Contributions of Culture and Language in Aboriginal Head Start in Urban and Northern Communities to Children’s Health Outcomes. A Review of Theory and Research. Ottawa: Public Health Agency of Canada. Dostup: 13.11.2020. http://www.ecdip.org/docs/pdf/Language,%20Culture%20&%20Child%20Health%20Theory%20&%20Research%20Ball,%20Moselle,%20Moselle.pdf.
Bezo, Brent, Maggi, Stefania. 2015. «Living in „Survival Mode”. Intergenerational Transmission of Trauma from the Holodomor Genocide of 1932-1933 in Ukraine». Social Science and Medicine 134, červec: 87-94. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2015.04.009.
Bezo, Brent, Maggi, Stefania. 2018. «Intergenerational Perceptions of Mass Trauma’s Impact on Physical Health and Well-being». Psychological Trauma. Theory, Research, Practice and Policy 10, č. 1: 87-94. https://doi.org/10.1037/tra0000284.
Bombay, Amy, Matheson, Kimberly, Anisman, Hymie. 2014. «The Intergenerational Effects of Indian Residential Schools. Implications for the Concept of Historical Trauma». Transcultural Psychiatry 51, č. 3: 320-338. https://doi.org/10.1177/1363461513503380.
Bourhis, Richard Y., Giles, Howard, Rosenthal, Doreen. 1981. «Notes on the Construction of a „Subjective Vitality Questionnaire” for Ethnolinguistic Groups». Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development 2, č. 2: 145-155. https://doi.org/10.1080/01434632.1981.9994047.
Bourhis, Richard Y., Sachdev, Itesh, Ehala, Martin, Giles, Howard. 2019. «Assessing 40 Years of Group Vitality Research and Future Directions». Journal of Language and Social Psychology 38, č. 4: 409-422. https://doi.org/10.1177/0261927X19868974.
Brave Heart-Jordan, Maria, Yellow Horse. 1995. «The Return to the Sacred Path. Healing from Historical Trauma and Historical Unresolved Grief among the Lakota», doktorska distertaciâ, Smith College, Northampton, MA.
Brave Heart-Jordan, Maria, Yellow Horse. 2003. «The Historical Trauma Response among Natives and its Relationship with Substance Abuse. A Lakota Illustration». Journal of Psychoactive Drugs 35, č. 1: 7-13. https://doi.org/10.1080/02791072.2003.10399988.
Burnette, Catherine E. 2016. «Historical Oppression and Indigenous Families. Uncovering Potential Risk Factors for Indigenous Families Touched by Violence». Family Relations 65, č. 2: 354-368. https://doi.org/10.1111/fare.12191.
Cameron, James E. 2004. «A Three-Factor Model of Social Identity». Self and Identity 3, č. 3: 239-262. https://doi.org/10.1080/13576500444000047.
Canfield, Julie. 2005. «Secondary Traumatization, Burnout, and Vicarious Traumatization. A Review of the Literature as it Relates to Therapists who Treat Trauma». Smith College Studies in Social Work 75, č. 2: 81-101. https://doi.org/10.1300/J497v75n02_06.
Crowshoe, Lynden, Dannenbaum, David, Green, Michael, Henderson, Rita, Naqshbandi Hayward, Mariam, Toth, Ellen. 2018. «Type 2 Diabetes and Indigenous Peoples ». Canadian Journal of Diabetes 42, dodatok 1: 296-306. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcjd.2017.10.022.
Daud, Atia, Skoglund, Erling, Rydelius, Per-Anders. 2005. «Children in Families of Torture Victims. Transgenerational Transmission of Parents’ Traumatic Experiences to Their Children». International Journal of Social Welfare 14, č. 1: 23-32. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2397.2005.00336.x.
DeMarni Cromer, Lisa, Gray, Mary E., Vasquez, Ludivina, Freyd, Jennifer J. 2018. «The Relationship of Acculturation to Historical Loss Awareness, Institutional Betrayal, and the Intergenerational Transmission of Trauma in the American Indian Experience». Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology 49, č. 1: 99-114. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022022117738749.
Dragojevic, Marko, Gasiorek, Jessica, Vincze, László. 2018. «Vitality, Language Use, and Life Satisfaction. A Study of Bilingual Hungarian Adolescents Living in Romania». Journal of Language and Social Psychology 37, č. 4: 431-450. https://doi.org/10.1177/0261927X17729437.
Duć-Fajfer, Olena. 2015. «Die schwierige Ethnogenese der lemkischen Gemeinschaft in Polen». V: Aleksander Brückner revisited. Debatten um Polen und Polentum in Geschichte und Gegenwart. Red. Yvonne Kleinmann, Achim Rabus, 168-196. Göttingen: Wallstein Verlag.
Duć-Fajfer, Ołena. 2016. «Literatura a proces rozwoju i rewitalizacja tożsamości językowej na przykładzie literatury łemkowskiej». V: Integral Strategies for Language Revitalization. Red. Justyna Olko, Tomasz Wicherkiewicz, Robert Borges, 175-200. Warszawa: Wydział «Artes Liberales», Uniwersytet Warszawski.
Duran, Eduardo, Duran, Bonnie. 1995. Native American Postcolonial Psychology. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press.
Filipiak, Leszek. 2013. Społeczno-polityczna sytuacja Łemków w III RP. Toruń: Wydawnictwo Adam Marszałek.
Giles, Howard, Johnson, Patricia. 1987. «Ethnolinguistic Identity Theory. A Social Psychological Approach to Language Maintenance». International Journal of the Sociology of Language 68, č. 1: 69-99.
Hallett, Darcy, Chandler, Michael J., Lalonde, Christopher E. 2007. «Aboriginal Language Knowledge and Youth Suicide». Cognitive Development 22, č. 3: 392-399. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cogdev.2007.02.001.
Hayes, Andrew F. 2013. Methodology in the Social Sciences. Introduction to Mediation, Moderation, and Conditional Process Analysis. A Regression-based Approach. New York, NY: Guilford Press.
Jones, Loring. 2008. «The Distinctive Characteristics and Needs of Domestic Violence Victims in a Native American Community». Journal of Family Violence 23, č. 2: 113-118. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-007-9132-9.
Karenian, Hatsantour, Livaditis, Miltos, Karenian, Sirpouhi, Zafiriadis, Kyriakos, Bochtsou, Valentini, Xenitidis, Kiriakos. 2011. «Collective Trauma Transmission and Traumatic Reactions among Descendants of Armenian Refugees». International Journal of Social Psychiatry 57, č. 4: 327-337. https://doi.org/10.11770020764009354840.
Kirmayer, Laurence J., Brass, Gregory M., Tait, Caroline L. 2000. «The Mental Health of Aboriginal Peoples. Transformations of Identity and Community». Canadian Journal of Psychiatry 45, č. 7: 607-616. https://doi.org/10.1177/070674370004500702.
Maercker, Andreas, Horn, Andrea. 2013. «A Socio-interpersonal Perspective on PTSD. The Case for Environments and Interpersonal Processes». Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy 20, č. 6: 465-481. https://doi.org/10.1002/cpp.1805.
Misiak, Małgorzata. 2006. Łemkowie. W kręgu badań nad mniejszościami etnolingwistycznymi w Europie. Wrocław: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Wrocławskiego.
Misiak, Małgorzata. 2018. Między Popradem a Osławą. Tożsamość kulturowo-językowa Łemków w ujęciu etnolingwistycznym. Wrocław: Wydawnictwo «Profil».
Mohatt, Nathaniel Vincent, Thompson, Azure B., Thai, Nghi D., Kraemer Tebes, Jacob. 2014. «Historical Trauma as Public Narrative. A Conceptual Review of how History Impacts Present-day Health». Social Science and Medicine 106, kvіten: 128-136. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2014.01.043.
Muldoon, Orla T., Lowe, Robert D. 2012. «Social Identity, Groups, and Post-traumatic Stress Disorder». Political Psychology 33, č. 2: 259-273. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9221.2012.00874.x.
Oster, Richard T., Grier, Angela, Lightning, Rick, Mayan, Maria J., Toth, Ellen L. 2014. «Cultural Continuity, Traditional Indigenous Language, and Diabetes in Alberta First Nations. A Mixed Methods Study». International Journal for Equity in Health 13, č. 1: 92-103. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-014-0092-4.
Pascoe, Elizabeth A., Smart Richman, Laura. 2009. «Perceived Discrimination and Health. A Meta-analytic Review». Psychological Bulletin 135, č. 4: 531-554. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0016059.
Shea, Haley, Mosley-Howard, Susan G., Baldwin, Daryl, Ironstrack, George, Rousmaniere, Kate, Schroer, Joseph E. 2019. «Cultural Revitalization as a Restorative Process to Combat Racial and Cultural Trauma and Promote Living Well». Cultural Diversity
Smith, Benjamin, Ehala, Martin, Giles, Howard. 2018. «Vitality Theory». V: The Oxford Encyclopedia of Intergroup Communication, t. 2. Red. Howard Giles, Jake Harwood, 485-500. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
Sotero, Michelle. 2006. «A Conceptual Model of Historical Trauma. Implications for Public Health Practice and Research». Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice 1, č. 1: 93-108. https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1350062.
Struktura narodowo-etniczna, językowa i wyznaniowa ludności Polski. Narodowy Spis Powszechny Ludności i Mieszkań 2011. 2015. Warszawa: Główny Urząd Statystyczny.
Dostup: 13.11.2020. https://stat.gov.pl/files/gfx/portalinformacyjny/pl/defaultaktualnosci/5670/22/1/1/struktura_narodowo-etniczna.pdf.
Wiechelt, Shelly A., Gryczynski, Jan, Johnson, Jeannette L., Caldwell, Diana. 2012. «Historical Trauma among Urban American Indians. Impact on Substance Abuse and Family Cohesion». Journal of Loss and Trauma 17, č. 4: 319-336. http://doi.org/10.1080/15325024.2011.616837.
Wilk, Piotr, Maltby, Alana, Cooke, Martin. 2017. «Residential Schools and the Effects on Indigenous Health and Well-being in Canada. A Scoping Review». Public Health Reviews 38, č. 1: 8-30. http://doi.org/10.1186/s40985-017-0055-6.
Winsa, Birger. 1998. Language Attitudes and Social Identity. Oppression and Revival of a Minority Language in Sweden = Occasional Paper č. 17. Canberra: Applied Linguistics Association of Australia.
Whitbeck, Les B., Adams, Gary W., Hoyt, Dan R., Chen, Xiaojin. 2004. «Conceptualizing and Measuring Historical Trauma among American Indian People». American Journal of Community Psychology 33, č. 3-4: 119-130. http://doi.org/10.1023/B:AJCP.0000027000.77357.31.
Whitbeck, Les B., Walls, Melissa L., Johnson, Kurt D., Morrisseau, Allan D., McDougall, Cindy M. 2009. «Depressed Affect and Historical Loss among North American Indigenous Adolescents». American Indian and Alaska Native Mental Health Research 16, č. 3: 16-41. https://doi.org/10.5820/aian.1603.2009.16.
Wohl, Michael J., Bavel, Jay J. van. 2011. «Is Identifying with a Historically Victimized Group Good or Bad for Your Health? Transgenerational Post-traumatic Stress and Collective Victimization». European Journal of Social Psychology 41, č. 7: 818-824. http://doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.844.
Woodhouse, Sarah, Brown, Rupert, Ayers, Susan. 2018. «A Social Model of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Interpersonal Trauma, Attachment, Group Identification, Disclosure, Social Acknowledgement, and Negative Cognitions». Journal of Theoretical Social Psychology 2, č. 2: 35-48. http://doi.org/10.1002/jts5.17.
