Physical and psychological long-term consequences of measures of decomposition of personalities in the GDR

Topic and question

Although it is estimated that a four- to five-figure number of people were affected by measures of decomposition of personalities, there are hardly any studies on the psychological, psychosocial and physical long-term consequences of the victims that go beyond the description of individual fates.

Building on its own preliminary work on victims of decomposition of personalities, this study aims to fill this gap.

Methodic procedure

1. Recruitment of persons affected by decomposition measures (N=100 per new federal state + N=100 in old federal states)
2. Systematic questioning about the experienced methods of decomposition
3. Standardized interviews on mental disorders, personality changes, physical illnesses and their psychosocial situation and comparison with data from the general population
4. Publication phase