International perspectives on trauma and resilience in adult survivors of institutional child abuse in Ireland, Germany, Switzerland, and Austria

Several international cohorts of older adults have experienced institutional (welfare-related)abuse and neglect in childhood. While child maltreatment can impact physical and mentalhealth, the long-term effects, potential for resilience, and associated factors are not wellunderstood. Addressing this, this symposium brings together qualitative and quantitativeresearch from four international cohorts (Ireland, Germany, Switzerland, Austria). Two talkspresent data from a project within the National Research Program 76“Welfare and Coercion–Past, Present and Future”, assessing physical and mental health correlates in Swisssurvivors and trauma disclosure in Irish survivors. One talk presents data from theTESTIMONY-Project on child maltreatment experiences in survivors of residential caresettings in the former German Democratic Republic (GDR). One talk presents data from theVienna Institutional Abuse Study on lifetime traumatization and psychopathological long-term correlates in Austrian survivors. These presentations will be preceded by a briefgeneral introduction and followed by a discussion.