The Role of Resilience and Gender in the Relationship between Adults Childhood Traumatic Experiences and Psychological Symptoms

This study examined the mediating role of resilience and gender in the relationship between adults’ childhood period traumatic experiences and psychological symptoms. The participants of the research consisted of 276 adults, from whom data were collected using the Short Symptom Inventory, the Traumatic Childhood Experiences Scale, and the Adult Resilience Scale. Confirmatory factor analysis was applied, along with path analysis and mediator test. Results indicated that adults’ childhood traumatic experiences had a positively significant effect on their psychological symptoms as well as a negative effect on their resilience. Furthermore, resilience had a mediating role in the relationship between childhood traumatic experiences and psychological symptoms. These findings can guide future studies that aim to determine which factors have a positive effect on adults’ psychological symptoms, in order to help prevent childhood traumatic experiences and increase their resilience.