Relationships between childhood trauma, body image, sexual confidence, and sexual self-awareness: The mediating role of negative body perception

Childhood trauma is a concept that affects not only childhood but also various aspects of adulthood. Numerous studies have demonstrated that individuals with a history of abuse or neglect in childhood are predisposed to psychological problems. These studies also explore the broader impacts of childhood trauma on other areas of life. One such area believed to be influenced by childhood trauma is body image. Body image is a concept that begins developing in infancy and continues to evolve throughout life, influenced by factors such as society, family, peers, and media. Particularly significant during adolescence, body image plays a crucial role in identity formation, especially concerning sexual identity. Given the significance of sexuality in individuals' lives, it is thought to be closely related to both body image and childhood trauma. The primary aim of this study is to elucidate the relationships among childhood trauma, body image, sexual self-confidence, and sexual self-consciousness Additionally, it seeks to examine the mediating role of body image between childhood sexual abuse and sexual shyness. This study employed a quantitative research design with a correlational survey method. Data were collected digitally through Google Forms from 323 voluntary participants aged 18 and above. After obtaining informed consent and collecting demographic information, participants were administered the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, the Body Image Scale, the Sexual Self-Confidence Scale and the Sexual Self-Consciousness Scale. The collected data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics 27.0 and Jamovi 2.0 software. The findings revealed significant relationships between childhood trauma and body image (and their subdimensions); between childhood trauma, sexual self-confidence, and sexual self-consciousness; and between body image subdimensions and the subdimensions of sexual self-confidence and sexual self-consciousness. Moreover, it was found that negative body evaluation mediates the relationship between childhood sexual abuse and sexual shyness. Recommendations include fostering healthy development of body image through well-regulated family and peer relationships, encouraging media to focus not on ideal body standards but on promoting body acceptance and healthy body awareness.