Rorschach Assessment of Holocaust Trauma

Abstract: In discussing Holocaust trauma, Jean Améry famously asserted: “Whoever was tortured, stays tortured.” Empirical studies comparing Holocaust survivors with control groups have also found evidence of irreversible psychological and neurobiological damage decades after the traumatic events took place. The finding that a proportion of survivors have demonstrated resiliency and experienced psychological growth despite their continued vulnerability has also garnered attention. This article explores the relevance of both themes, enduring vulnerability and resiliency, by examining in depth the Rorschach responses of three female survivors contacted in their community who experienced a similar sequence of atrocities half a century prior to the assessment. In the context of some self-reported information about their life before, during, and after the war, the article outlines both shared characteristics and distinctive features in their Rorschach protocols. The case studies illustrate how the method allows clinicians to observe the trauma manifestations and resiliency features in action, revealing patterns of strengths and vulnerabilities that are unique for each individual. Other issues discussed in the article include patterns of constriction and affective dysregulation, depictions of danger and helplessness scenarios, scoring issues regarding trauma-related thought-disordered responses, and specific Holocaust-related imagery. While mostly adopting a qualitative, experiential approach to the discussion of Rorschach findings, quantitative data are also presented and briefly discussed.