Learning from Narratives: Understanding the Impact of Childhood Abuse on Interpersonal Functioning Later in Life

Abstract

This study used a survey and narrative approach to understand the link between childhood abuse experiences and interpersonal functioning later in life. Participants for the children's survey were 88 children (males = 43; females = 45; age range 5 to 20). Participants for the narrative interviews were 11 adult survivors of childhood abuse (males= 5 females= 6; age range = 29 to 51). The narrative analysis focused on abuse experiences during childhood and the individual's ability to cope with contextual issues (poverty and war related trauma) later in life. A dimensional analysis of the narrative interviews uncovered a number of identifiable factors that either lead to problematic relational patterns later in life or allowed an individual to develop mechanisms of resiliency that were utilized to create personalized order and control. The results underscore the value of adopting a narrative approach to achieve a deeper understanding of the impact of childhood abuse experiences.