Relationship between a history of child abuse and feelings of entrapment in Lebanese adults: the co-moderating effect of social support and religiosity

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the moderating influence of social support and religiosity in the association between child abuse and entrapment during adulthood. This cross-sectional study recruited 352 Lebanese adults between November 2022 and January 2023. The survey included several sociodemographic items and validated instruments like the Child Abuse Self Report Scale, the Entrapment Scale Short Form, the Centrality of Religiosity Scale, and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. The moderation analysis indicates that there is a positive relationship between physical abuse, sexual abuse, and neglect with entrapment, and the intensity of this correlation may vary depending on various levels of social support and religiosity. Religiosity and social support may help mitigate the intensity of entrapment experienced, making it less severe when support or religiosity is high but not enough to lead to a negative relationship between child abuse and entrapment. This study is crucial as it recognizes the long-lasting impact of child abuse and its potential relationship with feelings of entrapment in adulthood, especially that it stresses long-term follow-up and support for survivors with regular assessments of coping strategies to help individuals navigate challenges and promote continued healing.