Gender moderates the relationships between childhood abuse experiences and mental disorders later in life: a cross-sectional study among university students in Turkey

This study aimed to assess the moderating role of gender in the relationship between childhood abuse and mental disorders in the population of a country that has been little studied. This research was designed by the correlational model, one of the quantitative research designs. 272 university students attending a state university in Turkey participated in the research. For sample selection, the convenience sampling method was used. As a result of analyses within the scope of the present study, it was concluded that gender had a moderating effect on the relationship between sexual abuse and somatisation, emotional abuse and negative self and physical neglect and hostility. This finding may help clinicians and researchers in providing optimal health services.