This study was conducted to investigate, first, the influences of parents- and social situation-related trauma experiences in the childhood on the later mental health and life satisfaction, and, second, the mediation effect by the self-esteem. The sub...
This study was conducted to investigate, first, the influences of parents- and social situation-related trauma experiences in the childhood on the later mental health and life satisfaction, and, second, the mediation effect by the self-esteem. The subjects were 429 students from 10 universities in the Busan city. The parents- and social situation-related trauma experiences were measured through the scales by Go(1992), and Oh and Yang (2003) respectively. Mental health, life satisfaction, and self-esteem were measured through the scales by Won(1987), Lee(1998), and Jeon(2006) respectively. The data were processed through Win 12 SPSS in descriptive statistics, correlational analysis, and multiple regression analysis, and after Baron & Kenny's(1980) method for proof of mediation effects.
The results were as follows;
Firstly, the parents-related and social situation-related traumas experienced in the childhood, mental health, life satisfactions were significantly correlated with subjects' sex (male students experienced less emotional trauma than female counterparts), birth order(the only or first born children experienced less emotional trauma), parents' education level, the past and current parental relationships.
emotional trauma experienced in the childhood were related with father's education level, past and current parental relationships, while the social situation-related emotional trauma experienced in the social situations were related with subjects sex (male students experienced less emotional trauma than female counterparts), birth order(the only or first born children experienced less emotional trauma), current parental relationships.
Secondly, subjects' mental health was negatively correlated with the parents- and social situation-related emotional traumas experienced in the childhood.
Thirdly, subjects' life satisfaction was negatively correlated with the parents-related emotional traumas and part(interpersonal relations) of social situation-related emotional traumas experienced in the childhood.
Fourthly, the influences of parents- and social situation-related trauma experiences in the childhood on the later mental health was partly mediated by the subjects' self-esteem. Fifthly, the influences of parents- and social situation-related trauma experiences in the childhood on the later life satisfaction was completely mediated by the subjects' self-esteem.
The study imply that the parents- and social situation-related trauma experiences in the childhood should be treated seriously at various counseling and educational fields. The limitations and suggestions for further research were discussed.
Keywords : emotional trauma. mental health, life satisfaction, self-esteem