The effect of positive childhood experiences on the conception of god: A quantitative study on adults

In this study, the relationship between positive childhood experiences and God concept is addressed. The concept of God is one of the central areas of inquiry in the psychology of religion, and the role of experiences lived during childhood in shaping individuals' religious understanding and perception of God continues to be a critical research issue in this field. In this context, the aim of the study is to determine the nature and direction of the relationship between positive childhood experiences and the concept of God. In addition to this primary objective, the study also seeks to reveal whether both positive childhood experiences and God concept differ according to variables such as age, gender, educational background, occupation, socio-economic status during childhood, number of siblings, the person(s) the individual grew up with, and religious education background. A quantitative method was adopted in the study, and data were collected through a questionnaire technique. The data collection instruments included a personal information form, the Positive Childhood Experiences Scale, and the God Concept Scale. The population of the study consisted of adults residing in Turkey. A simple random sampling method was used for sample selection, resulting in the inclusion of 315 participants. The data were analyzed using the SPSS program. A t-test was conducted to determine the differences between two groups, and ANOVA was applied for analyses involving multiple groups. Furthermore, the direction and strength of the relationship between positive childhood experiences and the concept of God were assessed through correlation analysis. In the theoretical part of the study, the conceptual framework of the research is outlined, and the concepts of childhood experiences and the perception of God are discussed from the perspective of the psychology of religion. The effects of positive childhood experiences on the formation of the concept of God are elaborated based on theories in the psychology of religion. In the application section, based on the findings obtained from the scales, the relationship between positive childhood experiences and the concept of God, as well as differences according to socio-demographic variables, are analyzed. According to the results, socio-demographic variables were found to lead to significant differences in attitudes toward positive childhood experiences and the God concept. The study revealed a statistically significant positive correlation between positive childhood experiences and the "Positive Emotions Toward God" dimension, while a significant negative correlation was identified with the "Distant/Indifferent God" dimension.