Motivational capacities after prolonged interpersonal childhood trauma in institutional settings in a sample of Austrian adult survivors

Autor(en)

Dina Weindl, Matthias Knefel, Tobias M. Glück, Ulrich S. Tran, Brigitte Lueger-Schuster

Abstrakt

A considerable amount of research has been conducted on the aversive impact of prolonged interpersonal childhood trauma, but data on possible associations with motivational concepts (self-efficacy, self-esteem and locus of control) in adult survivors is scarce. The purpose of this study is to investigate specific coherences between childhood abuse and adult life events with (a) motivational concepts (MC), (b) the emotion regulation strategy “goal-directed behavior” and (c) the possible mediation of emotion regulation (ER) on motivational concepts. We use data from a cross-sectional survey in Vienna (VIA-S) obtained from 220 adult survivors of prolonged interpersonal childhood trauma. In addition, we assess the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, the Life Events Checklist for DSM-5, the subscale “Goals” (Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Questionnaire), the Short Scale for Measuring General Self-Efficacy Beliefs, the Multidimensional Self-Esteem Scale, and an extended version of the Internal-External Control Beliefs-4 Scale. An estimated multi-group path-model, divided by gender, was also conducted with the measures indicated above. Our results show that prolonged interpersonal childhood trauma directly relates to reduced self-efficacy, self-esteem, and difficulties in ER. Concurrently, ER serves as a mediator for all MC. No gender differences were observed. Associations with adult life events were only found regarding self-efficacy. This study supports the notion that prolonged interpersonal childhood trauma in institutional settings impacts ER, which further mediates MC. Despite several study limitations (e.g. lack of a control group) the presented findings underline the importance of broadening the perception of trauma sequelae as well as integrating inhibited ER strategies and MC.

Organisation(en)

Institut für Klinische und Gesundheitspsychologie, Institut für Psychologie der Kognition, Emotion und Methoden

Journal

Child Abuse and Neglect

Band

76

Seiten

194-203

Anzahl der Seiten

10

ISSN

0145-2134

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2017.11.001

Publikationsdatum

02-2018

Peer-reviewed

Ja

ÖFOS 2012

501010 Klinische Psychologie

Schlagwörter

ASJC Scopus Sachgebiete

Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health, Developmental and Educational Psychology, Psychiatry and Mental health

Sustainable Development Goals

SDG 3 – Gesundheit und Wohlergehen

Link zum Portal

https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/de/publications/1304729a-8d05-427a-b9a3-5bbac232bfff