Raising Through Reflection: The Influence of Childhood Trauma on Millennial Parenting Behaviours
Year 2025,
, 16 - 22, 28.03.2025
Melike Ünüvar
,
Ipek Ozonder Unal
,
Habib Erensoy
,
Tonguç Berkol
Abstract
Aim: Parental childhood traumas significantly influence their parenting styles. This study examines the relationship between childhood neglect and abuse experienced by Generation Y parents and their parental
attitudes. Materials and Method: A total of 106 participants (60 women, 46 men) aged 25–40 years completed the Sociodemographic Information Form, Parental Attitude Scale (PAS), and Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ). Data collection was conducted online following ethical approval. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS 24.0. Results: Emotional abuse and neglect were positively correlated with authoritarian and permissive parental attitudes. Conversely, a negative correlation was observed between emotional neglect and democratic attitudes. Income level, marital status, and self-harm history significantly influenced CTQ and PAS scores, with authoritarian attitudes being higher in women and younger parents. Conclusions: Childhood traumas are intergenerational and extend beyond individual experiences, influencing societal structures. Addressing trauma requires holistic community interventions. Future studies should expand on how unresolved parental traumas shape generational outcomes.
Ethical Statement
Ethical approval for the study was granted by the Ethics Committee of Uskudar University (Registration ID: 61351342/OCAK2021-13). Prior to participation, all individuals were provided with detailed information about the study objectives and procedures, and informed consent was obtained in compliance with ethical standards.
Supporting Institution
None
References
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- 2. Merrick, M. T., Ford, D. C., Ports, K. A., & Guinn, A. S. (2019). Vital sig¬ns: estimated proportion of adult health problems attributable to adverse childhood experiences and implications for prevention—25 states, 2015– 2017. MMWR Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 68(44), 999–1005.
- 3. Tolin, D. F., & Foa, E. B. (2006). Sex differences in trauma and postt¬raumatic stress disorder: A quantitative review of 25 years of research. Psychological Bulletin, 132(6), 959–992.
- 4. Dube, S. R., Li, E. T., Fiorini, G., Lin, C., Singh, N., Khamisa, K., & Fo¬nagy, P. (2023). Childhood verbal abuse as a child maltreatment subtype: A systematic review of the current evidence. Child Abuse & Neglect, 144, 106394.
- 5. Hillis, S., Mercy, J., Amobi, A., & Kress, H. (2016). Global prevalence of past-year violence against children: A systematic review and minimum estimates. Pediatrics, 137(3), e20154079.
- 6. Whitten, T., Tzoumakis, S., Green, M. J., & Dean, K. (2024). Global pre¬valence of childhood exposure to physical violence within domestic and family relationships in the general population: A systematic review and proportional meta-analysis. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 25(2), 1411–1430.
- 7. Sofuoğlu, M., Rosenheck, R., & Petrakis, I. (2014). Pharmacological tre¬atment of comorbid PTSD and substance use disorder: Recent progress. Addictive Behaviors, 39(2), 428–433.
- 8. Yolcuoğlu G. “Çocukların İhmal-İstismara Uğramasında Aile ve Çocukla¬ra Yönelik Risk Faktörleri ve Sosyal Hizmet Müdahalesi”, Turkey Child Abuse and Domestic Violence Study. (2010). [Toplum ve Sosyal Hizmet], 21(1), 73–83.
- 9. Teicher, M. H., Gordon, J. B., & Nemeroff, C. B. (2022). Recognizing the importance of childhood maltreatment as a critical factor in psychiatric diagnoses, treatment, research, prevention, and education. Molecular Psy¬chiatry, 27(3), 1331–1338.
- 10. Schroeder, K., Schuler, B. R., Kobulsky, J. M., & Sarwer, D. B. (2021). The association between adverse childhood experiences and childhood obesity: A systematic review. Obesity Reviews, 22(7), e13204.
- 11. Bahmani, T., Naseri, N. S., & Fariborzi, E. (2023). Relation of parenting child abuse based on attachment styles, parenting styles, and parental ad¬dictions. Current Psychology, 42(15), 12409–12423.
- 12. Luo, S., Chen, D., Li, C., Lin, L., Chen, W., Ren, Y., & Guo, V. Y. (2023). Maternal adverse childhood experiences and behavioral problems in pres¬chool offspring: The mediation role of parenting styles. Child and Adoles¬cent Psychiatry and Mental Health, 17(1), 95.
- 13. Emami, M., Moghadasin, M., Mastour, H., & Tayebi, A. (2024). Early maladaptive schema, attachment style, and parenting style in a clinical po¬pulation with personality disorder and normal individuals: A discriminant analysis model. BMC Psychology, 12(1), 78.
- 14. Howell, K. H., Miller-Graff, L. E., Martinez-Torteya, C., Napier, T. R., & Carney, J. R. (2021). Charting a course towards resilience following adverse childhood experiences: Addressing intergenerational trauma via strengths-based intervention. Children, 8(10), 844.
- 15. Enlow, M. B., Egeland, B., Carlson, E., Blood, E., & Wright, R. J. (2014). Mother–infant attachment and the intergenerational transmission of postt¬raumatic stress disorder. Development and Psychopathology, 26(1), 41–65.
- 16. Bandelow, B., Torrente, A. C., Wedekind, D., Broocks, A., Hajak, G., & Rüther, E. (2004). Early traumatic life events, parental rearing styles, fa¬mily history of mental disorders, and birth risk factors in patients with social anxiety disorder. European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience, 254(6), 397–405.
- 17. Demir EK, Şendil G. Ebeveyn Tutum Ölçeği (ETÖ). Türk Psikoloji Yazı¬ları 2008; 11.21: 15-25.
- 18. Bernstein DP, Fink L, Handelsman L, Foote J. Childhood Trauma Questi¬onnaire: A retrospective self-report manual San Antonio, TX: The Psycho¬logical Corporation; 1998
- 19. Şar V, Öztürk E, İkikardeş E. Çocukluk Çağı Ruhsal Travma Ölçeğinin Türkçe uyarlamasının geçerlilik ve güvenilirliği. Türkiye Klinikleri 1054 J Med Sci 2012; 32(4).
- 20. Berzenski SR. Distinct emotion regulation skills explain psychopatho¬logy and problems in social relationships following childhood emotional abuse and neglect. Dev Psychopathol. 2019;31(2):483–96. doi: 10.1017/ S0954579418000020.
- 21. Kanj G, Hallit S, Obeid S. The relationship between childhood emotional abuse and borderline personality disorder: the mediating role of difficulties in emotion regulation among Lebanese adults. Borderline Personal DisordEmot Dysregul. 2023 Nov 21;10(1):34. doi: 10.1186/s40479-023-00241-0. PMID: 37986013; PMCID: PMC10662025.
- 22. 22.Morgan CH, Pu DF, Rodriguez CM. Parenting style history in predicting harsh parenting and child abuse risk across the transition to parenthood: Role of gender. Child Abuse Negl. 2022 May;127:105587. doi: 10.1016/j. chiabu.2022.105587. Epub 2022 Mar 8. PMID: 35276532; PMCID: PMC8993540.
- 23. 23. Riggs, S. A. (2019). Childhood emotional abuse and the attachment system across the life cycle: What theory and research tell us. In The effect of chil¬dhood emotional maltreatment on later intimate relationships (pp. 5-51).
- 24. 24.Routledge. Haslam, Z., & Taylor, E. P. (2022). The relationship between child neglect and adolescent interpersonal functioning: A systematic re¬view. Child Abuse & Neglect, 125, 105510.
- 25. 25.Valentino, K., Nuttall, A. K., Comas, M., Borkowski, J. G., & Akai, C. E. (2012). Intergenerational continuity of child abuse among adolescent mothers: Authoritarian parenting, community violence, and race. Child maltreatment, 17(2), 172-181.
- 26. 26.Madigan, S., Cyr, C., Eirich, R., Fearon, R. P., Ly, A., Rash, C., ... & Alink, L. R. (2019). Testing the cycle of maltreatment hypothesis: Meta-analytic evidence of the intergenerational transmission of child maltreatment. De¬velopment and psychopathology, 31(1), 23-51.
- 27. 27.Yaffe, Y. (2023). Systematic review of the differences between mothers and fathers in parenting styles and practices. Current psychology, 42(19), 16011-16024.
- 28. 28.Salmin, A. H., Nasrudin, D., Hidayat, M. S., & Winarni, W. (2021). The effect of overprotective parental attitudes on children’s development. Jur¬nal BELAINDIKA (Pembelajaran Dan Inovasi Pendidikan), 3(1), 15-20.
- 29. 29.Martins, P. C., Matos, C. D., & Sani, A. I. (2023). Parental stress and risk of child abuse: The role of socioeconomic status. Children and Youth Ser¬vices Review, 148, 106879.
- 30. 30.Suwignyo, Y. H., Usnawati, N., Herlina, T., & Sumaningsih, R. (2024). The Relationship Between Parenting Styles and Self-Harm Behavior in Adolescents. International Journal of Advanced Health Science and Te¬chnology, 4(3).
- 31. 31.Liu, J., Liu, X., Wang, H., & Gao, Y. (2021). Harsh parenting and non-su¬icidal self-injury in adolescence: the mediating effect of depressive symp¬toms and the moderating effect of the COMT Val158Met polymorphism. Child and adolescent psychiatry and mental health, 15, 1-9.
- 32. 32.Kavas, S., & Thornton, A. (2020). Beliefs about family change and deve¬lopment in Turkey. Population Research and Policy Review, 39, 47-75.
- 33. 33. Han Almiş B, Sehlikoğlu Ş. (2024). Recognition and Management of Sexual Violence in Psychiatry Outpatient Clinics. Psikiyatride Gün¬cel Yaklaşımlar - Current Approaches in Psychiatry ;16(4):683-690. doi:10.18863/pgy.1415763
GEÇMİŞİN YANSIMALARIYLA ÇOCUK YETİŞTİRME: Y KUŞAĞI EBEVEYNLERİNİN ÇOCUKLUK TRAVMALARININ EBEVEYNLİK TUTUMLARINA ETKİSİ
Year 2025,
, 16 - 22, 28.03.2025
Melike Ünüvar
,
Ipek Ozonder Unal
,
Habib Erensoy
,
Tonguç Berkol
Abstract
Amaç: Ebeveynlerin çocukluk döneminde yaşadığı travmalar, ebeveynlik stillerini önemli ölçüde etkilemektedir. Bu çalışma, Y Kuşağı ebeveynlerinin yaşadığı çocukluk ihmali ve istismarının ebeveyn tutumlarıyla olan ilişkisini incelemektedir.
Gereç ve Yöntem: Çalışmaya 25–40 yaş aralığında, toplam 106 katılımcı (60 kadın, 46 erkek) dahil edilmiştir. Katılımcılar Sosyodemografik Bilgi Formu, Ebeveyn Tutum Ölçeği (PAS) ve Çocukluk Travması Anketi'ni (CTQ) doldurmuştur. Veri toplama süreci, etik onayın ardından çevrimiçi olarak gerçekleştirilmiştir. İstatistiksel analizler SPSS 24.0 kullanılarak yapılmıştır.
Bulgular: Duygusal istismar ve ihmal ile otoriter ve hoşgörülü ebeveyn tutumları arasında istatistiksel anlamlı pozitif korelasyon saptanmıştır. Buna karşılık, duygusal ihmal ile demokratik tutum arasında arasında istatistiksel anlamlı negatif korelasyon gözlemlenmiştir. Gelir seviyesi, medeni durum ve kendine zarar verme öyküsü CTQ ve PAS skorlarını anlamlı şekilde etkilemiş, kadınların ve daha genç ebeveynlerin otoriter tutumlarının daha yüksek olduğu tespit edilmiştir.
Sonuç: Çocukluk travmaları yalnızca bireysel deneyimlerle sınırlı olmayıp, toplumsal yapıları da etkileyen kuşaklar arası bir sorundur. Travmaların ele alınması, bütüncül toplumsal müdahaleleri gerektirir. Gelecekteki çalışmalar, çözümlenmemiş ebeveyn travmalarının kuşaklar üzerindeki etkilerini daha ayrıntılı incelemelidir.
References
- 1. Van der Kolk, B. A. (2000). Posttraumatic stress disorder and the na¬ture of trauma. Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience, 2(1), 7–22.
- 2. Merrick, M. T., Ford, D. C., Ports, K. A., & Guinn, A. S. (2019). Vital sig¬ns: estimated proportion of adult health problems attributable to adverse childhood experiences and implications for prevention—25 states, 2015– 2017. MMWR Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 68(44), 999–1005.
- 3. Tolin, D. F., & Foa, E. B. (2006). Sex differences in trauma and postt¬raumatic stress disorder: A quantitative review of 25 years of research. Psychological Bulletin, 132(6), 959–992.
- 4. Dube, S. R., Li, E. T., Fiorini, G., Lin, C., Singh, N., Khamisa, K., & Fo¬nagy, P. (2023). Childhood verbal abuse as a child maltreatment subtype: A systematic review of the current evidence. Child Abuse & Neglect, 144, 106394.
- 5. Hillis, S., Mercy, J., Amobi, A., & Kress, H. (2016). Global prevalence of past-year violence against children: A systematic review and minimum estimates. Pediatrics, 137(3), e20154079.
- 6. Whitten, T., Tzoumakis, S., Green, M. J., & Dean, K. (2024). Global pre¬valence of childhood exposure to physical violence within domestic and family relationships in the general population: A systematic review and proportional meta-analysis. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 25(2), 1411–1430.
- 7. Sofuoğlu, M., Rosenheck, R., & Petrakis, I. (2014). Pharmacological tre¬atment of comorbid PTSD and substance use disorder: Recent progress. Addictive Behaviors, 39(2), 428–433.
- 8. Yolcuoğlu G. “Çocukların İhmal-İstismara Uğramasında Aile ve Çocukla¬ra Yönelik Risk Faktörleri ve Sosyal Hizmet Müdahalesi”, Turkey Child Abuse and Domestic Violence Study. (2010). [Toplum ve Sosyal Hizmet], 21(1), 73–83.
- 9. Teicher, M. H., Gordon, J. B., & Nemeroff, C. B. (2022). Recognizing the importance of childhood maltreatment as a critical factor in psychiatric diagnoses, treatment, research, prevention, and education. Molecular Psy¬chiatry, 27(3), 1331–1338.
- 10. Schroeder, K., Schuler, B. R., Kobulsky, J. M., & Sarwer, D. B. (2021). The association between adverse childhood experiences and childhood obesity: A systematic review. Obesity Reviews, 22(7), e13204.
- 11. Bahmani, T., Naseri, N. S., & Fariborzi, E. (2023). Relation of parenting child abuse based on attachment styles, parenting styles, and parental ad¬dictions. Current Psychology, 42(15), 12409–12423.
- 12. Luo, S., Chen, D., Li, C., Lin, L., Chen, W., Ren, Y., & Guo, V. Y. (2023). Maternal adverse childhood experiences and behavioral problems in pres¬chool offspring: The mediation role of parenting styles. Child and Adoles¬cent Psychiatry and Mental Health, 17(1), 95.
- 13. Emami, M., Moghadasin, M., Mastour, H., & Tayebi, A. (2024). Early maladaptive schema, attachment style, and parenting style in a clinical po¬pulation with personality disorder and normal individuals: A discriminant analysis model. BMC Psychology, 12(1), 78.
- 14. Howell, K. H., Miller-Graff, L. E., Martinez-Torteya, C., Napier, T. R., & Carney, J. R. (2021). Charting a course towards resilience following adverse childhood experiences: Addressing intergenerational trauma via strengths-based intervention. Children, 8(10), 844.
- 15. Enlow, M. B., Egeland, B., Carlson, E., Blood, E., & Wright, R. J. (2014). Mother–infant attachment and the intergenerational transmission of postt¬raumatic stress disorder. Development and Psychopathology, 26(1), 41–65.
- 16. Bandelow, B., Torrente, A. C., Wedekind, D., Broocks, A., Hajak, G., & Rüther, E. (2004). Early traumatic life events, parental rearing styles, fa¬mily history of mental disorders, and birth risk factors in patients with social anxiety disorder. European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience, 254(6), 397–405.
- 17. Demir EK, Şendil G. Ebeveyn Tutum Ölçeği (ETÖ). Türk Psikoloji Yazı¬ları 2008; 11.21: 15-25.
- 18. Bernstein DP, Fink L, Handelsman L, Foote J. Childhood Trauma Questi¬onnaire: A retrospective self-report manual San Antonio, TX: The Psycho¬logical Corporation; 1998
- 19. Şar V, Öztürk E, İkikardeş E. Çocukluk Çağı Ruhsal Travma Ölçeğinin Türkçe uyarlamasının geçerlilik ve güvenilirliği. Türkiye Klinikleri 1054 J Med Sci 2012; 32(4).
- 20. Berzenski SR. Distinct emotion regulation skills explain psychopatho¬logy and problems in social relationships following childhood emotional abuse and neglect. Dev Psychopathol. 2019;31(2):483–96. doi: 10.1017/ S0954579418000020.
- 21. Kanj G, Hallit S, Obeid S. The relationship between childhood emotional abuse and borderline personality disorder: the mediating role of difficulties in emotion regulation among Lebanese adults. Borderline Personal DisordEmot Dysregul. 2023 Nov 21;10(1):34. doi: 10.1186/s40479-023-00241-0. PMID: 37986013; PMCID: PMC10662025.
- 22. 22.Morgan CH, Pu DF, Rodriguez CM. Parenting style history in predicting harsh parenting and child abuse risk across the transition to parenthood: Role of gender. Child Abuse Negl. 2022 May;127:105587. doi: 10.1016/j. chiabu.2022.105587. Epub 2022 Mar 8. PMID: 35276532; PMCID: PMC8993540.
- 23. 23. Riggs, S. A. (2019). Childhood emotional abuse and the attachment system across the life cycle: What theory and research tell us. In The effect of chil¬dhood emotional maltreatment on later intimate relationships (pp. 5-51).
- 24. 24.Routledge. Haslam, Z., & Taylor, E. P. (2022). The relationship between child neglect and adolescent interpersonal functioning: A systematic re¬view. Child Abuse & Neglect, 125, 105510.
- 25. 25.Valentino, K., Nuttall, A. K., Comas, M., Borkowski, J. G., & Akai, C. E. (2012). Intergenerational continuity of child abuse among adolescent mothers: Authoritarian parenting, community violence, and race. Child maltreatment, 17(2), 172-181.
- 26. 26.Madigan, S., Cyr, C., Eirich, R., Fearon, R. P., Ly, A., Rash, C., ... & Alink, L. R. (2019). Testing the cycle of maltreatment hypothesis: Meta-analytic evidence of the intergenerational transmission of child maltreatment. De¬velopment and psychopathology, 31(1), 23-51.
- 27. 27.Yaffe, Y. (2023). Systematic review of the differences between mothers and fathers in parenting styles and practices. Current psychology, 42(19), 16011-16024.
- 28. 28.Salmin, A. H., Nasrudin, D., Hidayat, M. S., & Winarni, W. (2021). The effect of overprotective parental attitudes on children’s development. Jur¬nal BELAINDIKA (Pembelajaran Dan Inovasi Pendidikan), 3(1), 15-20.
- 29. 29.Martins, P. C., Matos, C. D., & Sani, A. I. (2023). Parental stress and risk of child abuse: The role of socioeconomic status. Children and Youth Ser¬vices Review, 148, 106879.
- 30. 30.Suwignyo, Y. H., Usnawati, N., Herlina, T., & Sumaningsih, R. (2024). The Relationship Between Parenting Styles and Self-Harm Behavior in Adolescents. International Journal of Advanced Health Science and Te¬chnology, 4(3).
- 31. 31.Liu, J., Liu, X., Wang, H., & Gao, Y. (2021). Harsh parenting and non-su¬icidal self-injury in adolescence: the mediating effect of depressive symp¬toms and the moderating effect of the COMT Val158Met polymorphism. Child and adolescent psychiatry and mental health, 15, 1-9.
- 32. 32.Kavas, S., & Thornton, A. (2020). Beliefs about family change and deve¬lopment in Turkey. Population Research and Policy Review, 39, 47-75.
- 33. 33. Han Almiş B, Sehlikoğlu Ş. (2024). Recognition and Management of Sexual Violence in Psychiatry Outpatient Clinics. Psikiyatride Gün¬cel Yaklaşımlar - Current Approaches in Psychiatry ;16(4):683-690. doi:10.18863/pgy.1415763