The relationship between adolescents’ childhood trauma experiences and empathetic tendency, social problem solving

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether high school students’ childhood trauma experiences differ based on individual differences, and whether childhood trauma experiences of adolescents predict empathic tendency and social problem solving. In this study, Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, Adolescent KA-Sİ Empathic Tendency Scale, and Social Problem Solving Inventory were used. Adolescents’ physical abuse, emotional abuse-neglect, and sexual abuse sub-dimensions of childhood trauma experience scores significantly differed based on gender. Adolescents’ physical abuse, emotional abuse-neglect sub dimensions of childhood trauma experience scores significantly differed based on father education-level, number of siblings and income- level of family. Adolescents’ emotional abuse-neglect sub dimension of childhood trauma experiences scores significantly differed based on mother education-level. Also physical abuse, emotional abuse-neglect sub dimensions of childhood trauma experiences predicted cognitive empathy whereas emotional abuse-neglect, sexual abuse sub dimensions of childhood trauma experiences predicted emotional empathy. The results also indicate that adolescents’ emotional abuse-neglect sub dimensions of childhood trauma experiences predicted sub dimensions of social problem solving.