Poster #110 - From ACEs to Attitudes: How Childhood Wounds Shape Perceptions of Women

• In Event: Poster Session II (posters 80 – 155)

Abstract

Prior research shows that people who rape score high on rape myth scales, which correlates with negative attitudes toward women. Prior research also reveals that adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have been linked to several negative outcomes in adulthood, including criminal behavior in adulthood. The purpose of this research is to identify the extent to which ACEs correlate with negative attitudes toward women, which may identify an opportunity for prevention. A Qualtrics survey was conducted at Texas State University via SONA with a sample of college students who were taking select criminal justice and psychology courses. Although the overall ACE score did not correlate with subsequent negative attitudes toward women, it indicated that males who did not feel loved or supported as children were likely to develop sexist attitudes toward women. The implications of the findings are discussed in this poster.

Author

• Hillary C. Aguilar, Texas State University