*2.5. Assessment of Early Life Experiences*

Two questionnaires on early life experiences were also included. The short version of the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) [65] contains 28 items and screens for five types of childhood trauma, including physical, sexual, and emotional abuse, as well as physical and emotional neglect. Each subcategory contains five items, and the remaining three items comprise the Minimization/Denial validity scale, which indicates underreporting of maltreatment. All items are rated on a 5-point Likert scale, with some items scored inversely, yielding a sum score for each subcategory.

Finally, the redesigned German version of the Relationship Scales Questionnaire (RSQ) [66] was used to assess attachment style and distinguished between "Separation anxiety", "Closeness anxiety", "Lack of trust," and "Wish to be independent". Each of the 30 items are ranked on a 5-point Likert scale, yielding a mean score for each subcategory of attachment.
