Krzysztof Rutkowski

The structure of values system after experience of trauma in childhood or adulthood             45-51

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SUMMARY

Aim: To show the late effects of early childhood trauma and trauma in adulthood for further development of the personality. The condition was that early childhood trauma is not remembered contrary to the trauma in adulthood.

Subject and method: The subjects were 329 persons with traumatic experience deportation or imprisonment from political reasons. Value Survey compiled by Milton Rokeach, has been used for the research.

Discussion: In the presentation, emotional reactions of people deported from Poland to former USSR in the 1940s of the 20th century have been presented. Most of them spent several years under deportation; some spent their early childhood there. The fact of spending several years under deportation in severe conditions, seeing people dying, a frequent loss of relatives and a constant feeling of threat left behind a solid trace in their personality. Even after many years after deportation (about 50 and 60 years), it is possible to observe consequences disturbing daily functioning.

Results: They showed statistically important differences between two groups of people traumatised in childhood or adulthood. In declared values consequences of the experienced trauma are traced, they are shown by the fact that people give higher ranks to certain values, which are associated with lost values, such as, freedom.

Conclusion: The study confirmed the importance of the early childhood trauma for the development of the personality even if trauma is not remembered.