English abstract
Thus, this study aims to introduce the relationship between abuse in the childhood stage and depression among a sample that consists of (412) respondents from the students of the University of Nizwa in the Sultanate of Oman. The sample includes (101) males and (311) females in the scientific and literary majors in light of some variables. The sample of the study was chosen through the available method. To achieve the objectives of the study, the descriptive correlative approach is used. The researcher also used the abuse experiences scale prepared by (Baqmi, 2009), The Beck Depression Inventory is also used (translated by Radwan, 2008). The findings of the study were the following:
1. The most common types of abuse in the childhood stage is the emotional negligence with arithmetic mean of (1.97).
2. There is a direct correlation statistically significant at ( 0.05>a) between the degree of abuse in childhood and sub-dimensions and depression among the respondents.
3. The possibility of predicting depression with the percentage of (9.9%) through being exposed to child abuse during childhood.
4. No statistically significant differences at the level of ( 0.05>a) between males and females in the degree of exposure to abuse in childhood on the sub-dimensions and the total score in the physical abuse, psychological abuse dimensions, sexual abuse, emotional negligence and physical negligence. Statistically significant differences were found between males and females in the degree of exposure to abuse in childhood regarding physical negligence in favor of the males.
5. There were no statistically significant differences at the level of ( 0.05>a) between males and females on the Depression Scale.
6. No statistically significant differences at the level of ( 0.05>a) between the scale of abuse in childhood on the sub-dimensions and total score attributed to the educational status of the parents in all dimensions.
