The mental health of former war children in the light of memory and the present day. Results of a 25-year follow-up of the Mannheim Cohort Study

Objectives: This paper focuses on the relationship between childhood experiences in wartime Germany and mental well-being in adulthood. Methods: An analysis of data from the Mannheim Cohort Study is done on a sample of 50 elderly people born between 1935 and 1945. Overall development and World War 11 experiences in particular are correlated with later psychosomatic disturbances recorded over a period of 25 years. Results: Individuals suffering from psychosocially influenced disorders were exposed to a significantly higher level of psychosocial stress during childhood than mentally healthy participants. Psychosomatic illness in adult life is, however, not related to the number of war experiences. The absence of one's father during childhood due to the war is not a predictor of long-term psychosomatic impairment. Conclusions: The results are discussed against the background of most participants coping with life's challenges and preserving their mental health for decades despite painful experiences and various hardships as a result of wartime experiences.