Childhood trauma in psychiatric patients, ongoing violence and psychopathology

Aim: Over the past 30 years, childhood trauma has become a problem for both public health and psychiatry. Many studies in this context show that childhood trauma is directly related to many psychopathologies seen in adulthood. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between childhood traumas and continuing violence of psychopathology of patients applied to the psychiatry policlinic in Bülent Ecevit University Hospital in Zonguldak. Method: The survey was conducted between January 2017 and June 2017. Participants filled sociodemographic questionnaire - including types of violence, perceptions of violence and attitudes- and childhood trauma scales. Findings: 375 patients aged 18 to 65 years were included in the study. Half of the participants are exposed to violence (at least one of the subtype of violence). Ratio of verbal violence was 90.1%; emotional violence 27.8%; physical violence 63.64%; economic violence was found to 30.8% and sexual violence was found to 24.7%. In childhood, the rate of evaluation of exposure to trauma is 45.6% emotional abuse, 36.3% physical abuse, and 17.6% sexual abuse. Results: It has been found that abuse experienced in childhood and violence continuing in adulthood increase the suicidal ideation by 4 times, and that violent individuals apply violence more than 3 times to their children. Therefore, it has been found that exposure to trauma in childhood and violence in adulthood are directly related to many psychopathologies, which have serious consequences for mental health. From here it is thought that the new work should give importance to the prevention of wider perspective on the present situation. Keywords: Childhood trauma, violence, suicidal ideation, psychopathology, child abuse.