The relationship between university students' childhood traumas and their body image coping strategies as well as eating attitudes

Background: This study examined the relationship between university students' childhood traumas and their body image coping strategies as well as eating attitudes. Methods: This cross-sectional, descriptive, and correlational study was conducted with 654 students who were selected from 6240 university students enrolled during the spring semester of the 2017-2018 academic year and determined using the stratified and simple random sampling method. Introductory Information Form, Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), Body Image Coping Strategies Inventory (BICSI), and Eating Attitudes Test (EAT) were used. The reliability coefficients of the scales were 0.93, 0.82, and 0.85, respectively. The data were evaluated using number-percentage distributions and the relationships between the variables were examined using correlation analysis. Results: Of the students, 56.7% were female. Their mean age was 20.71 +/- 1.54. The mean CTQ score (41.14 +/- 15.98), BICSI score (71.33 +/- 10.32; max.: 116), and EAT score (19.61 +/- 14.60) were below average. The study found a low, positive correlation between the CTQ total and subscale mean scores and the BICSI avoidance subscale mean score as well as the EAT mean score (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Few university students reported childhood traumas. Most students referred to positive coping using rational acceptance tendency against body image threats and problems, had low tendencies toward negative eating attitudes, and had no risk for an eating disorder. However, the students with a history of childhood trauma coped with body image threats and problems mostly using an avoidance tendency and had negative tendencies toward eating attitudes.