Browsing by Author "Nunes, Sofia Isabel Faísca"
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- The link between childhood experiences, emotional regulation and substance abuse : a comparative study between sexual offenders and the general populationPublication . Nunes, Sofia Isabel Faísca; Almeida, TelmaBackground: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are potentially traumatic events with a negative impact in the short and long term. In turn, positive childhood experiences (PCEs) improve physical and psychological health and can act as a mitigator of the impact of ACEs. Objective: This study analyzed the relationship between ACEs, PCEs, and emotional regulation difficulties (ERD). It also analyzed the relationship between ACEs, PCEs, and substance use (SU) and illicit substance use (ISU). In addition, it compared a community sample with a sample of perpetrators of sex crimes regarding these variables and evaluated the predictors of ERD, SU, and ISU. The moderating role of PCEs in the relationship between ACEs and SU was also examined in both samples. Participants: The sample is made up of 764 males, of whom 537 belong to the community (aged between 18 and 28) and the remaining 209 are convicted perpetrators of sex crimes (aged between 23 and 84). Method: A sociodemographic questionnaire, the Adverse Childhood Experiences Questionnaire, the Benevolent Childhood Experiences Scale, the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale, and a substance use checklist were applied. Results: Positive correlations were observed between ACEs and ERD, as well as between ACEs, SU, and ISU in the community sample and in the sample of perpetrators of sex crimes. There were negative correlations between PCEs and ACES, as well as between PCEs and ERD, in both samples. Perpetrators of sex crimes had higher ACE scores compared to the community sample, while the latter had higher PCE, ERD, SU, and ISU scores. Age, emotional abuse, emotional neglect, divorce or parental separation, and ECPs are predictors of ERD. Reclusion, sexual abuse, emotional neglect, divorce or parental separation, mental illness or suicide of a family member, and PCEs were shown to be predictors of SU. For ISU, the predictors were the same, except for PCEs. PCEs moderated the link between ACEs and SU in the community sample. Conclusion: This research emphasizes the influence of ACEs and PCEs across life and the differences between the community sample and the perpetrators of sex crimes sample in some of the variables studied. Additionally, it highlights the need for a comprehensive approach to crime prevention, focusing on preventing ACEs and developing PCEs.