Childhood Trauma and Self-Compassion as Predictors of Psychological Distress Experienced by Adults

This quantitative correlational study investigates the relationship between childhood trauma, self-compassion, and psychological distress in a cohort of 187 participants aged 18-64 years (M = 30.21, SD = 10.581). Participants were recruited through social networks and completed online questionnaires adapted into Romanian language on childhood trauma, depressive and anxiety symptoms and stress levels, and self-compassion levels. Results showed that childhood emotional abuse was the most common type of trauma reported, with a significant prevalence among participants. The proposed hypotheses were tested using correlational and linear regression analyses. Statistical analyses demonstrated a positive correlation between childhood trauma and psychological distress and a negative association between self-compassion and experienced psychological distress. Self-compassion was also found to have a significant protective effect on psychological distress, being negatively associated with symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress. Regression analyses confirmed that childhood traumas are important predictors of psychological distress in adult life, and that higher levels of self-compassion may mitigate the negative impact of these traumas. Theoretical and practical implications of this study are discussed.