Alcohol & Alcoholism Vol. 39, No. 2, pp. 126-129, 2004
Alcohol & Alcoholism Vol. 39, No. 2 © Medical Council on Alcohol 2004; all rights reserved.
CHILDHOOD TRAUMA IN ALCOHOLICS

Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Maltepe University, Istanbul, Turkey
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed at: Balkl Rum Hastanesi Vakf, Anatolia Klinikleri, BelgradKap Yolu No:2 Zeytinburnu, Istanbul, Turkey. E-mail: hmirsal{at}superonline.com
(Received 20 February 2003; first review notified 9 April 2003; in revised form 10 October 2003; accepted 2 December 2003)
Aims: Many studies have been conducted to evaluate the relationship between childhood trauma and alcoholism. In this study 80 alcoholics were chosen according to their hospitalization order. The control group consisted of 60 subjects, with no history of alcohol use, matched with the patient group in age and sex. Methods: A sociodemographic and clinical data form, a questionnaire focusing on traumatic life experiences in childhood and The Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, and Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale were applied to both groups. Results: Significant differences were found between the two groups on traumatic life experiences in childhood. Results suggested that childhood trauma positively correlates with anxiety and affective symptoms among alcoholics. Conclusions: Further studies are needed concerning this issue.