Investigating the Relationship of Childhood Traumas and Sexual Guilt with Sexual Addiction in Iranian Prostitutes

Background: Prostitution is a social phenomenon, and its underlying factors require more scholarly attention. This study aimed to investigate the relationship of childhood traumas and sexual guilt with sexual addiction in Iranian prostitutes. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted on prostitutes who visited a health promotion center in Khorasan Razavi province, Iran in ۲۰۲۰. A total of ۱۰۰ women agreed to participate in the study. Data collection tools included the Sexual Addiction Screening Test (SAST), Mosher Sex-Guilt Scale, and Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ). Data were analyzed using Pearson’s correlation coefficient and multiple regression analysis.Findings: The age of the participants ranged from ۲۳ to ۴۲, with a mean age of ۳۳.۵۴±۸.۹ years. About ۴۰% of the participants were divorced, ۱۳% were married, ۲۷% were single, and ۱۰% were widows. The findings indicated that ۸۴% of the prostitutes met the criteria for sexual addiction according to SAST. Emotional abuse (r=۰.۴۱, P<۰.۰۰۱), physical abuse (r=۰.۳۲, P<۰.۰۰۱), sexual abuse (r=۰.۳۳, P<۰.۰۰۱), emotional neglect (r=۰.۵۲, P<۰.۰۰۱), and physical neglect (r=۰.۳۷, P<۰.۰۰۱) had a positive and significant relationship with sexual addiction in prostitutes. There was no correlation between sexual guilt and sexual addiction (r=۰.۱۳, P=۰.۰۹). Furthermore, the linear regression results showed that emotional neglect was the only variable positively associated with sexual addiction (β=۰.۵, P<۰.۰۰۱).Conclusion: The findings of this study suggested that childhood traumas can predict sexual addiction in female prostitutes.

کلیدواژه ها:

Prostitutes ، Compulsive Behavior ، Adverse Childhood Experiences ، Guilt