Date

1-14-2026

Department

School of Behavioral Sciences

Degree

Doctor of Education in Community Care and Counseling (EdD)

Chair

Gary Probst

Keywords

post-traumatic growth, trauma, Hispanics, men, childhood abuse

Disciplines

Counseling | Social and Behavioral Sciences

Abstract

The purpose of this phenomenological study is to describe Hispanic male survivors’ experiences of child abuse in Southern California. The theory guiding this study was social constructivism (Pfadenhauer, 2019), as it explains how a worldview is developed. The additional theories are Bandura’s (1977) social learning theory, Bowlby’s (1973) attachment theory, and Widom’s (1989) cycle of violence and how they influence the development of an individual’s perception and worldview. Tedeschi and Calhoun’s (1996) post-traumatic theory also influenced this study as it focused on growth after the trauma experience. The study includes 12 male participants of Hispanic descent between the ages of 25 and 50. The data was collected via one-on-one semi-structured interviews, a focus group discussion, and written prompts. Data analysis was conducted according to Moustakas’ and Braun & Clarke’s guidelines.

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