The Role of Childhood Traumas, Emotional Self-Efficacy and Internal-External Locus of Control in Predicting Psychological Resilience

Abstract

Psychological resilience is a broad concept that can be evaluated in the context of past experiences, emotional experiences and control mechanisms shaped by internal or external factors. In this study, the role of childhood traumas, emotional self-efficacy and the internal-external locus of control were investigated in predicting psychological resilience. The study included a total of 291 participants (208 females and 83 males) with average age of 20.29 (SD = 2.59). Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, Emotional Self-Efficacy Scale, Internal-External Locus of Control Scale and Psychological Resilience Scale were used to collect data from participants. As a result of simple linear regression analysis, childhood traumas experiences, emotional self-efficacy and internal locus of control predicted resilience significantly among university students. Also, there was significant positive relationship between emotional self-efficacy, locus of control and resilience. On the other hand, resilience and childhood traumas were correlated negatively. The findings of the study are discussed at the end. The protective factors related to psychological resilience should be considered in a versatile way to understand its fundamental structure.