Adverse childhood experiences and aggression in adulthood: The moderating role of positive childhood experiences.

BACKGROUND: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have a significant impact on a person's psychological development and predispose them to various harmful consequences in adulthood, such as different forms of aggression. Contrarily, positive childhood experiences (PCEs) operate as protective factors, buffering against the adverse effects of ACEs and promoting adaptive behaviors and psychological well-being. However, the role of PCEs in the relationship between ACEs and aggression remains relatively unexplored. OBJECTIVE: To explore the moderation role of PCEs in the relationship between ACEs and aggression and its different components across sexes in a community sample. METHODS: A sample of 1541 Portuguese adults answered an online protocol with a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Benevolent Childhood Experiences Scale, the Childhood History Questionnaire, and the Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire. RESULTS: ACEs were positively correlated with aggression, including physical and verbal aggression, anger, and hostility, with women reporting a higher prevalence of ACEs and higher levels of anger. Men revealed higher scores in physical and verbal aggression. Furthermore, moderation analyses clarified the moderating effect of PCEs on the relationship between ACEs and aggression in women and between ACEs and anger in both sexes. PCEs attenuate the adverse impact of ACEs, reducing aggression and anger levels. CONCLUSIONS: This study stresses the complex interplay between childhood experiences and adult aggression, highlighting the differential effects of ACEs and PCEs across men and women. By clarifying these dynamics, interventions can be tailored to bolster protective factors like PCEs. This will ultimately foster healthier developmental trajectories and reduce the prevalence of aggression in adulthood.

Prevalence and Impact of Revenge Pornography on a Sample of Portuguese Women.

Victims of revenge pornography (RP) suffer long-term psychological, personal, and social consequences, given that the spread of explicit content may continue to disturb them throughout their lives. However, there is a scarcity of studies on this phenomenon in Portugal. The present study aims to identify the prevalence of RP and analyze its impact on self-esteem, humiliation, depression, and anxiety, and compare victims and non-victims of RP on these same variables. The sample comprises 274 Portuguese women aged between 18 and 82. The data was collected through an online protocol consisting of a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, the Humiliation Inventory, and the Brief Symptoms Inventory. From the total sample, 45 (16.4%) participants reported at least one experience of RP. RP victims reported higher levels of humiliation, anxiety, and depression and lower levels of self-esteem than non-victims. However, only humiliation distinguished RP victims and non-victims. RP is a growing phenomenon enhanced by the intensified use of technology. Along with this phenomenon comes the impact on victims, which has long-term consequences. This study contributes to the scientific community since the scientific study of RP and its impact on victims is still incipient.