Reconstructing fatherhood after childhood trauma: a phenomenological study of Turkish men

Childhood trauma can shape emotional development and relationships across the lifespan, yet fathers' subjective experiences remain underexplored. This qualitative study examined how Turkish fathers with childhood trauma histories experience fatherhood and everyday parenting. Using interpretative phenomenological analysis, 17 fathers with elevated Childhood Trauma Questionnaire scores participated in semi-structured online interviews. Six themes emerged: emotional wounds, masculine norms, authority and closeness in parenting, emotional triggering, transformation, and changing fatherhood experiences. Fatherhood often reactivated unresolved childhood experiences, especially during stressful interactions with children. Traditional masculinity norms limited emotional expression and help-seeking. Participants expressed a strong desire to parent differently from their own fathers and prevent harmful intergenerational patterns. For some, fatherhood became a turning point that encouraged self-reflection, emotional growth, and more intentional parenting. The findings suggest that fatherhood may simultaneously reactivate childhood trauma and create opportunities for personal change and healthier parenting practices.