Investigation of Alexithymia Levels and Childhood Trauma in Mothers of Sexually Abused Children

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Abstract
The aim of this study is to compare the levels of alexithymia and childhood trauma experiences of mothers of sexually abused children with those of mothers in the control group, and to examine the relationships between alexithymia and trauma experiences. The research was conducted with a case-control design. The case group consisted of 41 mothers of sexually abused children. The control group consisted of 41 mothers whose children had no history of sexual abuse. Data were collected using a personal information form, the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ-28), and the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20). In the case group, sexual abuse and emotional neglect scores were significantly higher compared to the control group (p=0.041; p=0.004, respectively), while minimization scores were significantly lower. No significant differences were observed between the groups on the TAS subscales and total scores. In the case group, negative correlations were observed between age and Difficulty Identifying Feelings (DIF), Difficulty Describing Feelings (DDF), and the TAS total score; positive correlations were observed between emotional neglect and DIF, DDF, EOT (Externally Oriented Thinking), and the TAS total score. The findings indicated that past traumatic experiences had marked effects on the mothers of sexually abused children and that these experiences were associated with alexithymia. The results highlight the importance of supporting the mental health of mothers for both parental well-being and the psychosocial development of the child.

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