Date of Conferral
2022
Degree
Ph.D.
School
Psychology
Advisor
Silvia Bigatti
Abstract
Childhood abuse/neglect is a consistent concern in the United States and is related to future physical and mental health concerns. Studies have shown that childhood abuse/neglect can result in negative trauma appraisal, difficulties in emotion regulation, and lower levels of self-compassion. However, less is known about how gender impacts the relationship between negative trauma appraisal, difficulties in emotion regulation, and self-compassion with trauma symptoms in those with a history of childhood abuse/neglect. The purpose of this quantitative cross-sectional correlational study was to measure the impact of gender on the mediating variables (negative trauma appraisal, difficulties in emotion regulation, and self-compassion) and the outcome variable of trauma symptoms with a predictor variable of childhood abuse/neglect. Fairbairnian object-relations theory provided the framework for the study. Data were collected from 176 participants who completed an online survey. Data analyses included conditional process analyses with PROCESS-Macro Model 15. The results indicated that gender did not impact the relationships between the mediating variables and trauma symptoms. Although the null hypotheses could not be rejected, noteworthy findings are presented and discussed. The similarities for males and females in this model may have implications for future interventions. Research into trauma symptoms lead to positive social change by assisting in the improvement of interventions, education, and mitigation of future childhood abuse/neglect.
Recommended Citation
Cutler, Marc Samuel, "Gender Differences in the Mediation Between Childhood Abuse/Neglect and Trauma" (2022). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 12310.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/12310
