International Journal of Behavioral Sciences

International Journal of Behavioral Sciences

The Relationship between Childhood Traumas and Integrative Self-Knowledge with Mental Pain

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Ali Shahbaz Ghazvini 1
Mahnaz Shahgholian 2
Valiollah Ramezani 3
Pouyan Ezatizadeh 3
1 B.60, Moghadam Alley, Alghadir Ave., West Golzar, Golshahr, Karaj, Iran
2 Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Kharazmi University, Karaj, Alborz
3 Faculty of psychology and educational sciences, Kharazmi University, Karaj, Alborz
10.30491/ijbs.2025.472314.2147
Abstract
Introduction: The aim of this research is to determine the relationship between childhood trauma, Integrative Self-Knowledge (ISK) and mental pain. In this study, ISK has been considered as mediating variable that can be influenced by childhood adversities and, in turn, affect the level of mental pain experienced by individuals.
Method: This study employed a descriptive correlational design. The statistical population includes all students aged 18 to 25 who are enrolled in one of the universities in Tehran and Karaj in 2023. A total of 117 volunteers were selected conveniently. The data were collected using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form (CTQ-SF), the ISK and the Orbach and Mikulincer Mental Pain Scale (OMMP). Statistical data analysis was Pearson correlation and structural equation modelling.
Results: The results of this study indicated a significant positive association between childhood trauma and mental pain (p<0.05). Additionally, a significant negative association was found between ISK and mental pain (p<0.05). Furthermore, a significant negative association (p<0.01) was observed between the overall score of childhood trauma and ISK. Finally, based on the structural equation modelling, ISK was found to mediate the relationship between childhood trauma and mental pain.
Conclusion: The final implication of this study is that attention and sensitivity to an individual's life history, including experiences of childhood adversities, the level of self-knowledge, and the individual's self-knowledge in the form of a coherent narrative, and the amount of psychological pain that the person experiences, are of particular importance in assessing and addressing the individual's need for psychological and psychiatric interventions.
Keywords
Childhood Trauma
Integrative Self-knowledge
Mental Pain
Mediation
Structural Equation Modelling
  1. Fleming M. Distinction between mental pain and psychic suffering as separate entities in the patient's experience. Int Forum Psychoanal. 2006;15(4):195–200. doi: 10.1080/08037060500522754.
  2. Meerwijk EL, Weiss SJ. Toward a unifying definition of psychological pain. J Loss Trauma. 2011;16(5):402–12. doi: 10.1080/15325024.2011.572044
  3. Tossani E. The concept of mental pain. Psychother Psychosom. 2013;82(2):67–73. doi:10.1159/000343003.
  4. Sensky T. Mental pain and suffering: the “universal currencies” of the illness experience? Psychother Psychosom. 2020; 89(6):337–44. doi: 10.1159/000509587.
  5. Cosci F, Mansueto G, Benemei S, Chiarugi A, De Cesaris F, Sensky T. Mental pain as a global person-centered outcome measure. CNS Spectr. 2022;27(5):652–8. doi: 10.1017/S1092852921000699.
  6. Herman J. Trauma and recovery: The aftermath of violence-from domestic abuse to political terror. New York: Basic Books; 1992.
  7. Davanloo H. Management of tactical defenses in intensive short‐term dynamic psychotherapy, Part I: Overview, tactical defenses of cover words and indirect speech. Int J Short‐Term Psychother. 1996;11(3):129–52.
  8. Oldham JM. Borderline personality disorder and suicidality. Am J Psychiatry. 2006;163(1):20-6. doi: 10.1176/appi.ajp.163.1.20.
  9. Lieb K, Zanarini MC, Schmahl C, Linehan MM, Bohus M. Borderline personality disorder. Lancet. 2004;364(9432):453–61. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(04)16770-6.
  10. Goodwin JM. Redefining borderline syndromes as posttraumatic and rediscovering emotional containment as a first stage in treatment. J Interpers Violence. 2005;20(1):20–5. doi: 10.1177/0886260504268602
  11. Briggs-Gowan MJ, Carter AS, Ford JD. Parsing the effects of violence exposure in early childhood: modeling developmental pathways. J Pediatr Psychol. 2011;37(1):11–22. doi: 10.1093/jpepsy/jsr063.
  12. Najjar F, Weller RA, Weisbrot J, Weller EB. Posttraumatic stress disorder and its treatment in children and adolescents. Curr Psychiatry Rep. 2008;10(2):104–8. doi: 10.1007/s11920-008-0019-0.
  13. Togashi K. Surrender and silence: the problem of narrative and non-narrative in psychoanalysis. Psychoanal Self-Context. 2019;15(2):199–216. doi: 10.1080/24720038.2019.1635603.
  14. Ghorbani N, Watson PJ, Bing MN, Davison HK, LeBreton DL. Two faces of self-knowledge: Cross-cultural development of measures in Iran and United States. Genet Soc Gen Psychol Monogr. 2003; 129:238–68.
  15. Ghorbani N, Watson PJ, Hargis MB. Integrative self-knowledge scale: Correlations and incremental validity of a cross-cultural measure developed in Iran and United States. J Psychol. 2008; 142:395–412. doi: 10.3200/JRLP.142.4.395-412
  16. Ghorbani N, Cunningham CJ, Watson PJ. Comparative analysis of integrative self‐knowledge, mindfulness, and private self‐consciousness in predicting responses to stress in Iran. Int J Psychol. 2010;45(2):147–54. doi: 10.1080/00207590903165016
  17. Besharat MA, Bazzazian S, Ghorbani N, Asghari M. Predicting children's integrative self-knowledge in terms of parenting characteristics of parents. J Fam Res. 2014;10(1):65-78. [Persian].
  18. Orbach I, Mikulincer M, Sirota P, Gilboa-Schechtman E. Mental pain: A multidimensional operationalization and definition. Suicide Life Threat Behav. 2003; 33:219-30. doi:10.1521/suli.33.3.219.23219.
  19. Karami, J., Bagian, M., Momeni, K., Elahi, A. Measurement of mental pain: Psychometric properties and confirmatory factor analysis of multidimensional mental pain questionnaire. Health Psychology, 2018; 7(25): 146-172. [Persian].
  20. Bernstein DP, Stein JA, Newcomb MD, Walker E, Pogge D, Ahluvalia T, et al. Development and validation of a brief screening version of the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire. Child Abuse Negl. 2003;27(2):169–90. doi: 10.1016/S0145-2134(02)00541-0.
  21. Garrusi B, Nakhaee N. (2009). Validity and reliability of a persian version of the childhood trauma questionnaire. Psychological Reports. 2009; 104: 509-516.docx
  22. Passos B, Campos RC, Reixa C, Holden RR. The mediating role of tolerance for psychological pain in the relationship between different types of childhood traumatic experiences and suicidal ideation. Omega. 2023:302228231169148. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1177/00302228231169148.
  23. Martins LC, Campos RC, Morujão IS. The mediating role of tolerance for psychological pain in the relationship of childhood trauma to suicidal ideation in individuals with a substance use disorder. Br J Clin Psychol. 2022;61(2):197–213. doi: 10.1111/bjc.12320.
  24. Pompili M, Erbuto D, Innamorati M, Luciano M, Sampogna G, Abbate-Daga G, et al. The relationship between mental pain, suicide risk, and childhood traumatic experiences: results from a multicenter study. J Clin Psychiatry. 2022;83(4):41432. doi: 10.4088/JCP.21m14176.
  25. Zarrati I, Bermas H, Sabet M. Correlation between childhood trauma and suicidal ideation by mediation of mental pain and object relations. JHPM. 2020;9(3):34–48. [Persian]. doi: 10.29252/jhpm.9.3.34.
  26. Khanjani MS, Mosavat S, Bahmani B, Bakhshi E. Comparison of the childhood trauma, mindfulness attention awareness and integrative self-knowledge in cancer patients and general population. Iran J Psychiatry Clin Psychol. 2021;27(1):32–47. [Persian].
  27. Gold SN. APA handbook of trauma psychology: foundations in knowledge. Vol. 1. American Psychological Association; 2017. xxii-624 p. doi: 10.1037/0000019-000.
  28. Yarmohamadi Vasel M, Jokar F, Farhadi M, Zoghipaydar M. Structural model of relationships between integrative self-knowledge, perception of suffering and quality of life among cancer patients (stages 3 & 4). J Res Psychol Health. 2020;14(2):1–19. [Persian]. doi: 10.52547/rph.14.2.1.
  29. Mitchell SA. Contemporary perspectives on self: Toward an integration. Psychoanal Dialogues. 1991;1(2):121–47. doi: 10.1080/10481889109538886
  30. Van der Kolk BA. Editorial introduction: Child abuse & victimization. Psychiatr Ann. 2005;35(5):401–8. doi: 10.3928/00485713-20050501-06
  31. Fonagy P. Attachment and borderline personality disorder. J Am Psychoanal Assoc. 2000; 48:1129–46. doi: 10.1177/00030651000480040701.
  32. Honig RG, Grace MC, Lindy JD, Newman CJ, Titchener JL. Assessing long–term effects of trauma: Diagnosing symptoms of avoidance and numbing. Am J Psychiatry. 1999; 156:483–5. doi: 10.1176/ajp.156.3.483.

 

 

International Journal of Behavioral Sciences
Volume 19, Issue 1
Spring 2025
Pages 27-33