Examining the effect of adverse childhood experiences on speech anxiety of physical education teacher candidates

The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between speech anxiety and childhood trauma among pre-service teachers and to evaluate these variables in terms of various demographic characteristics. The study was conducted using a quantitative research design based on the relational survey model. The sample consisted of 386 pre-service teachers studying at a university. Data were collected using the Speech Anxiety Scale for Pre-service Teachers and the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, independent samples t-test, one-way ANOVA, correlation, and regression analyses were used for data analysis. The findings indicated that both speech anxiety and childhood trauma levels of pre-service teachers were generally at low to moderate levels. Speech anxiety differed significantly according to variables such as gender, grade level, number of siblings, perceived income, family structure, and parental attitudes. In contrast, childhood trauma showed limited differences across demographic variables. Correlation analysis revealed that there were positive and significant relationships between childhood trauma and speech anxiety. Regression analysis results showed that childhood trauma significantly predicted speech anxiety. In conclusion, childhood trauma has a significant effect on speech anxiety among pre-service teachers, and early life experiences are associated with individuals’ communication skills. Based on these findings, it is suggested that psychosocial support and communication skills training programs should be implemented for pre-service teachers.