Examining childhood trauma, dissociation and attitudes toward violence in three generations of adult women

The aim of this study is to examine and compare three generations of female adults in terms of childhood trauma, dissociations and attitudes toward violence. The sample of the study consisted of 108 women, three generations, each group consisting of 36 people. The mean age of the participants was 72.86 (SD: 6.85) for the first generation (K1), 51.25 (SD: 7.16) for the second generation (K2), and 26.50 (SD: 6.51) for the third generation (K3). The data were collected by using demographic questionnaire prepared by the researcher, Childhood Abuse and Neglect Inventory (CANI), Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES), and Attitudes Toward Violence Scale (ATV). Both quantitative and qualitative data were obtained from the questionnaires and scales used in the research. Analysis of quantitative data were conducted with SPSS 22 (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) statistical program, content analysis of qualitative data were conducted with MaxQDA 2018 program. Nonparametric tests were used because the sample group did not meet the normality values. To examine the relationships between the variables, Spearman rank correlation coefficient (rs), multiple regression analysis and nonparametric 1000 bootstrapping technique were applied. Kruskal Wallis H analysis was used to determine whether the childhood trauma, dissociations and attitudes toward violence of K1, K2 and K3 were differentiated. In the correlation analysis, ATV scores were positively associated with emotional abuse (rs = .30, p <.01) and physical neglect (rs = .35, p <.01) from CTQ subscales, and negatively associated with sexual abuse (rs = -. 29, p. <.01) (n = 108). DES showed no significant correlation with any CTQ subscale. As a result of regression analysis, it was found that physical neglect was a significant predictor of attitudes toward violence and explained 17.6% of attitudes toward violence (B = 2.452, 95% GA = 0.627 - 4.011; β = .35, p <.001). K1, K2 and K3 were compared in terms of childhood trauma, dissociations and attitudes toward violence. Childhood trauma levels were found to be significantly higher in K1s (mean rank 67.89) than K2s (mean rank 51.43) and K3s (mean rank 44.18). Dissociation levels were found to be significantly higher in K3s (mean rank 66.71) than K1s (mean rank 41.68) and K2s (mean rank 55.11). Levels of attitudes toward violence were found to be significantly higher in K1s (mean rank 71.58) than K2s (mean rank 52.24) and K3s (mean rank 39.68). The attitudes toward violence of the K2s which are below the hunger / poverty limit (mean rank = 23.30) were found to be significantly higher than the K2s which were above the hunger / poverty limit (mean rank = 16.08) (Z = 1.95, p ≤ .05) . It was observed that attitudes toward violence in K1s and K3s did not differ significantly according to hunger / poverty limit. Content analysis of the qualitative data was carried out with 19 codes created by the researcher. The data obtained from the interviews of 108 participants were transferred to the computer and all texts were scanned with these codes. In the qualitative findings of the study, repetitive pattern characteristics between the generations (3 generations in 6 groups of women, 2 generations in 4 groups of women, n = 26, 24.1%), the identification with the aggressor (9 K1, 9 K2, 8 K3, n = 26, % 24.1) was the most commonly used defense mechanism and the presence of anger (10 K1, 7 K2, 6 K3, n = 23, 21.3%) was seen as negative emotion. While the marriage rate under the age of 18 was 44.4% (n = 16) in K1s, it decreased to 8.3% (n = 3) in K2s and not at all in K3s. Participants were questioned in terms of being victims, witnesses and practitioners of domestic physical violence. According to the data obtained, it has been found that those who are victims of physical violence within the family of origin (K1: 54.1%, K2: 52.1%) have practiced more physical violence in their own family than those who witnessed violence in the family of origin (K1: 53.8%, K2: 50.0%) with a slight difference. K3s were not evaluated because only 12 were married and not all of them have children. The rate, who have witnessed physical violence in orijin family and who were victims of physical violence in their own family was 38.5% in K1 while 50% in K2. The rate, who were victims of physical violence in their own family and who have practiced physical violence in their own family is 50.0% in K1s while 60% in K2s. The rate, who were victims of physical violence in orijin family and who were victims of physical violence in their own family is 33.3% in K1 while 34.7% in K2.