Citation

Odacı H, Çelik ÇB. J. Interpers. Violence 2017; ePub(ePub): 886260517696862.

Affiliation

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University, Rize, Turkey.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/0886260517696862

PMID

29294696

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to determine whether or not traumatic childhood experiences in childhood predict a disposition to risk-taking and aggression among university students. The participants consisted of 851 students: 477 (56.1%) females and 374 (43.9%) males attending various faculties at the Karadeniz Technical University in Turkey. The Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, Adolescent Risk-Taking Scale, Aggression Questionnaire, and Personal Information Form were used for data collection. The analysis results revealed a positive correlation between traumatic experiences (physical, sexual, emotional maltreatment, and emotional neglect) and risk-taking and aggression. Physical and sexual abuse and gender are significant predictors of risk-taking. Physical abuse and gender are some of the predictors of aggression. Another finding from the study is that physical and emotional abuse and emotional neglect vary by gender. This study concludes that exposure to traumatic experiences in childhood prepares the foundation for negative behaviors in adulthood.

Language: en

Keywords

emotional abuse; emotional maltreatment; physical maltreatment; risk-taking; sexual maltreatment