Childhood traumas and future expectations in adolescents: examination the role of perceived social support and attitudes to seeking psychological help

The purpose of the current study is to investigate the mediator role of perceived social support and attitudes towards seeking psychological help in the relationship between childhood traumas and future expectations of adolescents. With this study, it is thought that by supporting the perceived social support and psychological help-seeking attitudes of adolescents, their future expectations can be increased and the negative effects of childhood trauma can be reduced. Addressing childhood trauma together with future expectation, perceived social support and psychological help-seeking attitude may help to better understand the childhood trauma of adolescents and to create a comprehensive trauma treatment model. The sample consisted of 375 high school students, comprising 65.10% females and 34.90% males, ranging in age from 14 to 18 years (M = 15.79, SD = 1.42). The data were collected using a demographic information form and four self-report scales. In addition to descriptive statistics, Pearson Correlation Coefficient and Bootstrap Analysis were used to analyse the data. The results of the study revealed that the mediator role of perceived social support and attitudes towards seeking psychological help in the effect of future expectations on childhood trauma of adolescents is statistically significant.