Inter (between) generational (generations) trauma is any type of traumatic (yet seen as normal) habits, patterns or cycles that play out from one generation, to the next.
Typically, parents or adult caregivers vicariously model the trauma, where the younger generations (i.e. kids) learn it and carry it with them.
Any type of generational cycle, habits or patterns that replay from one generation to the next, can include trauma: physical abuse, sexual abuse, verbal/emotional abuse, teen pregnancies, authoritarian parenting, children not being allowed a voice, dropping out of school, poverty, promiscuity, drug/alcohol addiction, illegal activity, chasing relationships and an inability to be independent, maladaptive ways that conflict is “resolved” such as screaming, yelling, or stonewalling, or idealizing and devaluing others.
These all hold the potential to become inter-generational trauma where it is taught by one generation as normal for survival mode, and another generation learns it to continue the cycles.
If left denied, avoided or untreated, it has the potential to carry to yet another generation, and continue.