Research Paper on Childhood Trauma

Reports have stated that on average most adults recall their very first memories around the age of 3.5. Most first memories are found to be positive. The experience of despair, tragedies, and emotional trauma can disrupt or injure memory centers such as the hippocampus and amygdala (Joseph, 2003). For those adults who’ve experienced an abusive childhood have been shown to suffer memory disturbances. Scientists hypothesized that those that are exposed to trauma at an early age are more likely to suffer from a lengthier childhood amnesia and form their first recallable memory at a later age compared to the general population (Joseph, 2003). Dealing with trauma at a young age has shown a significant toll on the brain and physicality of humans.  

Childhood trauma is associated with premature declines in health in midlife and old age. Studies are focused on childhood trauma’s influence via alterations in social-emotional regulation, biological programming, and habitual patterns of thought and action (Infurna et al, 2015). Childhood trauma reports were associated with reporting lower overall levels of and greater variability in daily well-being. Childhood trauma was found to be linked to greater reports of daily negative events, but not to positive events. When focused on emotional reactivity to daily events, residents who’s experienced high levels of childhood trauma showed stronger decreases in well-being when experiencing negative events and stronger increases in well-being with positive events (Infurna et al, 2015). The results of this study concluded that childhood trauma may lead to poorer health in midlife through disturbances in the patterns of everyday life events and responses to those events (Infurna et al, 2015).  

Childhood trauma and personality characteristics play a role in proneness to adult life events. Scientists have investigated whether the Five-Factor Model (FFM) personality traits and childhood trauma can predict adult life events, and whether the effect of childhood trauma on life events is mediated by personality traits (Pos et al, 2016). The study contained one hundred and sixty-three patients with psychotic disorders. They were assessed at baseline on history of childhood maltreatment and FFM personality traits, and recent events within three years (Pos et al, 2016). Results state that childhood abuse is associated with negative life events that the individual goes through. A part of the effect on childhood abuse on negative life events is mediated by openness to experience (Pos et al, 2016). Childhood neglect and lower extraversion are related to experiencing fewer positive events, and more negative events.  

Childhood life events may include the divorce of parents, early parental loss and ‘placed in care’ (Hovens et al, 2010). Childhood trauma was assessed as experiencing emotional neglect, psychological, physical and sexual abuse prior to age 16 (Hovens et al, 2010). The studies of this research resulted that childhood life events were not associated with psychopathology. Childhood traumas were commonly in the following order: controls, anxiety, depression, and comorbid group (Hovens et al, 2010). Scores were measured on the childhood trauma index and the higher the score, the stronger association the child has with psychopathology (Hammersley, 2004). Trauma researchers looking at schizophrenia and bipolar disorders have overlooked psychotic populations, consistently failed to consider the significance of trauma in their subjects. There are various forms of childhood trauma: emotional, sexual, physical, and neglect. Sexual abuse has the strongest association with psychotic mental health problems in adulthood (Read and Agar, 2002 as seen in Hammersley, 2004). Read (1997) concluded that at least two thirds of female and half of all male psychiatric patients had suffered sexual or physical abuse as a child (Hammersley, 2004). Mullen (1993) interviewed female patients and found that 85 percent opened about childhood sexual abuse (Hammersley, 2004). Traumas that are ‘man made’ have a much larger impact than accidental. Repeated and deliberate traumas are much more severe despite the ‘one off’. Evidence does not allow us to conclude that psychosis is directly associated with childhood sexual abuse (Hammersley, 2004). However, there are extreme incidences of childhood sexual abuse in adults with psychosis suggest that the two are connected in some way. Researchers attempt to explain the nature of the relationship, and they focus on three areas: Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) models, Dissociation models, Trauma cascade (re-traumatisation) models (Hammersley, 2004).  

Post-traumatic stress disorder is a known consequence of traumatic events, such as any type of childhood abuse. Diagnosis of PTSD occurs when psychological, biological, and social effects of trauma are severe to cause marked distress or impair social and occupational functioning (Hammersley, 2004). Symptoms of PTSD fall into three categories: symptoms of increased arousal such as hypervigilance, sleep problems, and exaggerated startle response. The second category is experiencing flashbacks, nightmares and intense distress when reminded of the original trauma. Also, avoidance of social contact and a reduced ability to experience intense emotions (Hammersley, 2004).  

Dissociation is a mental process of disconnecting one's thoughts, feelings, or sense of identity. The traumatized individual is unable to use the normal fight or flight reaction in response to his or her predicament and might also use an alternative dissociate to seek safety (Hammersley, 2004). Dissociation is an attempt to deny terror, pain and distress in connection with intense trauma. Individuals who are victims of dissociation in consequence of childhood abuse have a greatly reduced reality-testing ability and problems integrating thoughts. These individuals also have problems with their memories, emotions, and identity, both which can increase delusional thinking and experiencing hallucinations (Hammersley, 2004). Dissociation is a long-term consequence of childhood abuse, demonstrated by a piece of research by Ross et al (1994) which shows that victims of dissociation experience more symptoms of schizophrenia than schizophrenia patients themselves (Hammersley, 2004).  

Retraumatization occurs when an individual re-experiences a previous traumatic event, either consciously or unconsciously. The use of alcohol and drugs to self-medicate symptoms of PTSD and dissociation further increase the chances of retraumatisation (Hammersley, 2004). Demonstration by researchers, including Fram and Morrison (2001), that psychotic symptoms can be highly traumatic and provoke trauma responses (Hammersley, 2004). It’s been possible that childhood abuse can lead to a nightmare adult world of continuous victimization, assault, and abuse. A cascade of adverse experiences which can lead to enhanced PTSD and dissociation with severe consequences. Also, studies have shown a strong correlation between child abuse and hallucinations (Hammersley, 2004). Auditory hallucinations in which the individual will hear derogatory and negative comments about him or her have the strongest connection with childhood abuse.  

Childhood trauma has had a significant impact on individuals of adulthood that affect their everyday lives. Victims of trauma in childhood have created difficulties for adults to maintain healthy well-being for themselves both physically and mentally.