Abstract [eng] |
Previous research on adverse childhood experiences show that the consequences of these experiences are long-lasting, affect the main aspects of life and contribute to the experience of victimization. Although there is evidence that certain childhood adverse experiences are associated with specific victimization, it is not clear how adverse childhood experiences in general are associated with victimization in adulthood. The aim of our study was to examine the association between adverse childhood experiences and victimization in adulthood. The sample consisted of 254 adults (86,6% females). Adverse childhood experience questionnaire (Dubre et al., 2001; Felitti et al., 1998) and questions about alcohol consumption (Bulotaite, 2014) were used in this study. Additional questions about victimization as well as questions about the quality of relationships with parents and friends were created by the authors. The findings of this study show that adverse childhood experiences are positively linked to victimization in adulthood and a greater amount of these experiences can predict victimization. We propose that the findings of this study are important for mental health professionals: a greater amount of adverse childhood experiences can signal about possible problematic areas of the client. Professional help focused on these areas can help in seeking to minimize the risk of repeated victimization. |