Çocukluk Çağı Travmaları ile Uyumsuz Ayırıcı Kişilik Özellikleri Arasındaki İlişkide Kişilik İşlevselliği Düzeyinin Aracı Rolünün İncelenmesi

Abstract

With the introduction of the Alternative Model for Personality Disorders (AMPD) in DSM-5, studies on personality functioning and maladaptive personality traits have gained momentum. There are four components in personality functioning: identity and self-direction under the self component; empathy and intimacy under the interpersonal component of personality functioning. Maladaptive personality traits are the domains of negative affect, detachment, antagonism, disinhibition and psychoticism. On the other hand, it is known that childhood traumas are closely related to personality. Based on these concepts, the main purpose of the present thesis study is to examine the mediating role of personality functioning in the relationship between childhood traumas and each maladaptive personality traits domain. For this purpose, firstly, the Level of Personality Functioning Scale – Self-Report (LPFS-SR), which did not have a Turkish form before, was translated into Turkish and the psychometric properties of the scale were examined using Turkish versions of ‘Personality Belief Scale – Short Form’, ‘Interpersonal Problems Inventory – Circumplex Scale’ and ‘Brief Symptom Inventory’ measurements in a sample of 401 volunteers. It was found that the Turkish form of LPFS-SR had sufficient psychometric properties to be used in research. For the main study, ‘Childhood Trauma Questionnaire’, ‘Personality Functioning Level – Self-Report Scale’ and ‘Personality Inventory for DSM-5’ were used to test the hypotheses in a sample 493 volunteers. The relationships between the variables of the main study were examined with correlation analysis. Accordingly, statistically significant and positive correlations were found between childhood traumas, total level of impairments in personality functioning and each maladaptive personality trait domain. Afterwards, mediation analysis was applied to examine whether there is a potential mediating role of personality functioning in the relationships between childhood traumas and each maladaptive personality trait domain. Namely, full mediating roles were found in the paths from childhood traumas to negative affectivity and detachment; and partial mediating roles were found in the paths to antagonism, disinhibition and psychoticism. Despite the cross sectional design of the current study and the theoretical possibilities for the presence of other potential mediating variables, these findings may imply that personality functioning impairment may be an important mechanism in the formation of maladaptive personality traits following childhood traumas.