The Ezidi community has experienced centuries of persecution, collective violence, and attempts at cultural eradication, culminating in the 2014 genocide committed by the so-called Islamic State. These historical and recent atrocities have shaped a transgenerational pattern of trauma that affects not only survivors in Iraq and Syria but also members of the global diaspora. This study is the first to systematically examine the psychological impact of the 2014 genocide on Ezidis living in Germany, home to the world's largest Ezidi diaspora.


A web-based survey was conducted in February and March 2016. Participants completed the Essen Trauma-Inventory (ETI) referring to the 2014 genocide as the index traumatic event, as well as the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). The final sample included 512 Ezidi adults (M = 26.13 years; 61.9% female), most of whom had lived in Germany for over two decades. Although 99.5% learned about the genocide through media reports rather than direct exposure, 25.8% met criteria for probable PTSD. Women showed significantly higher PTSD rates than men (31.5% vs. 16.4%; p < .001). Clinically relevant anxiety symptoms were present in 39.3% of participants, and depression in 18.9%. Humanitarian engagement was widespread, with over 85% participating in aid efforts.


A linear regression model identified somatic complaints, depressive and anxiety symptoms, involvement in humanitarian activities, and the number of previously experienced traumatic events as significant predictors of PTSD severity, explaining 52% of the variance.


Findings demonstrate substantial psychological burden within the diaspora community and highlight the importance of recognizing transgenerational and vicarious trauma in populations indirectly exposed to genocide.