Childhood Trauma and Adult Psychological Problems

1364 Words6 Pages
CHILDHOOD TRAUMA AND ADULT PSYCHOLOGICAL PROBLEMS Traumas experienced in childhood can be very diverse in nature. Those such as sexual abuse, exposure to violence, disasters, as well as emotional and physical abuse can have an impact on the incidence of several psychological disorders experienced later in life. Some of these disorders include: “PTSD” (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), “Major Depressive Disorder”, “Generalized Anxiety Disorder”, “Phobias”, “Dissociation”, and “General Trauma Symptoms” (Roesler & McKenzie, 1994, p. 148; Irwin, 1999, para. 2; Bolton, O’Ryan, Udwin, Boyle, & Yule, 2000, p. 515; Hubbard, Realmuto, Northwood, & Masten, 1995, p. 1171) . “Greater exposure to trauma” has been implicated as causing “higher rates of trauma symptoms as much as a decade removed from the trauma” (Realmuto et al., 1992, as cited, Hubbard et al., 1995, p.1167). This paper examines the question: How does childhood trauma affect psychological problems later in life? A review of the relationships between various childhood traumas and conditions experienced later in life is given, hinged upon four research articles. Subsequently, limitations and strengths of the research will be considered and discussed, followed by a conclusion which will sum up integral points from the research examined. RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TRAUMA AND LATER COMPLICATIONS One of the types of trauma experienced in childhood is sexual in nature. Roesler & McKenzie (1994) assert that “childhood sexual trauma is correlated with negative long term effects on psychological functioning” (p.149). Knowing that different types of trauma can interact to cause psychological problems, it would be important to find out how “nonsexual trauma and physical abuse” affect psychological functioning in order to find out how sexual abuse alone affects psychological functioning. “Sexual abuse
Open Document