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@article{192549,
        author = {Kiran Prasadh},
        title = {Echoes of the Unconscious: A Psychoanalytic Reading of Childhood Trauma and Its Lifelong Psychological Imprints},
        journal = {International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology},
        year = {2026},
        volume = {12},
        number = {9},
        pages = {1755-1760},
        issn = {2349-6002},
        url = {https://ijirt.org/article?manuscript=192549},
        abstract = {Childhood trauma constitutes a critical area of inquiry within psychology due to its profound and enduring impact on personality formation, emotional regulation, and adult mental health. This article examines childhood trauma through the lens of psychoanalytic theory, foregrounding the role of the unconscious in shaping lifelong psychological patterns. Drawing primarily on the works of Sigmund Freud, Melanie Klein, and Donald Winnicott, the study explores how early traumatic experiences—such as abuse, neglect, and loss—are repressed when they overwhelm the child’s developing ego. Rather than being erased, these experiences persist within the unconscious and re-emerge through symptoms, defence mechanisms, and repetitive relational behaviours. The article analyses key psychoanalytic concepts including repression, psychic conflict, fixation, regression, repetition compulsion, and object relations to demonstrate how unresolved trauma influences adult psychopathology. Particular attention is given to depression, borderline personality traits, attachment disturbances, unconscious guilt, and difficulties in intimacy and trust. The discussion further situates psychoanalysis in relation to contemporary behavioural and cognitive models, arguing that while symptom-focused approaches offer practical benefits, psychoanalysis uniquely addresses the symbolic, relational, and meaning-making dimensions of trauma. By positioning childhood trauma as a silent yet powerful architect of adult identity, this study underscores the continued relevance of psychoanalytic theory in trauma-informed psychological research and therapeutic practice.},
        keywords = {Childhood Trauma, Psychoanalytic Theory, Unconscious, Repression.},
        month = {February},
        }