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Browsing by Author "Varela, Joana Silva"

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  • The link between childhood experiences, personality and post-traumatic growth : a comparative study between a sample of offenders and a normative population
    Publication . Varela, Joana Silva; Almeida, Telma
    Background: Adverse childhood experiences can lead to the adoption of delinquent and/or criminal behaviors during adolescence or adulthood and can alter the normal development of personality. Studies show that benevolent experiences help minimize the negative impacts of adversity and help maximize the chances of developing post-traumatic growth. Studies have shown a growing interest in these variables in more recent years, but in the Portuguese context, and regarding forensic populations, studies are still very scarce. Objectives: Analyze the relationship between childhood experiences, personality traits and post-traumatic growth, and assess whether there are differences between the general population and a sample of prisoners regarding these variables. Participants: The sample comprised 180 participants (128 from the general population and 52 prisoners), all aged between 19 and 73 (M = 36.61, SD = 13.47). In total, 92 were men, and 88 were women. Method: Participants responded to a protocol comprising a Sociodemographic Questionnaire, the Adverse Childhood Experiences Questionnaire (ACE), the Benevolent Childhood Experiences Questionnaire (BCE), the Ten-Item Personality Inventory (TIPI), and the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory – Expanded (PTGI-X). Results: Prisoners displayed more adverse experiences overall, especially perception of household dysfunction, as well as more post-traumatic growth, namely appreciation of life and spiritual-existential changes. There were no statistically significant differences regarding personality and benevolent childhood experiences. Conclusion: Specialized intervention programs should be created for youth that has experienced adversity, as a way to prevent maladaptive behaviours and promote post-traumatic growth.
    2023-12-05Master thesis Restricted access Show more