The Effect of Childhood Trauma on Posttraumatic Growth in Patients with Depression

INTRODUCTION: The link between depression and childhood traumas has been emphasized for many years. This study investigates the impact of childhood traumas on posttraumatic growth in patients with depression.
METHODS: A total of 120 participants who had experienced childhood trauma at least once in their lives (75 patients with depression and 45 healthy controls) were included in the study. Participants were administered sociodemographic information form, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Childhood Trauma Questionnaire 28 (CTQ-28) and Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI).
RESULTS: Childhood traumas and rates of posttraumatic growth were high in both the patient and control groups, and there was no statistically significant difference between them. (p=0.63, p=0.68). The statistical analysis revealed that participants in the depression group had significantly higher scores on the physical abuse subscale of the CTQ-28 compared to the control group (p<0.05). Furthermore, significant negative correlations were observed in the control group between physical abuse of the CTQ-28 and changes in relationships with others in the PTGI, as well as between sexual abuse of the CTQ-28 and changes in relationships with others in the PTGI. In the study, female gender and level of physical abuse were found to increase the likelihood of belonging to the depression group.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: This study found that childhood trauma associated with physical abuse was more frequent in patients with depression than controls. Traumatic experiences were found to be detrimental to communicating with others. It is appropriate to recommend interventions for social support and for the treatment of traumatic experiences in childhood in a variety of contexts.