Objective: Childhood adversity has been linked to internalizing and externalizing disorders and personality disorders in adulthood. This study extends that research by examining several personality measures as correlates of childhood adversity.

Method: In a college sample self-reports were collected of childhood adversity, several scales relating to personality, and current depression symptoms as a control variable. The personality-related scales were reduced to four latent variables, which we termed anger/aggression, extrinsic focus, agreeableness, and engagement.

Results: Controlling for concurrent depressive symptoms and gender, higher levels of reported childhood adversity related to lower agreeableness and to higher anger/aggression and extrinsic focus.

Conclusions: Findings suggest that early adversity is linked to personality variables relevant to the building of social connection.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4240049PMC
http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.01357DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

childhood adversity
16
correlates childhood
8
adversity linked
8
anger/aggression extrinsic
8
childhood
5
adversity
5
adulthood personality
4
personality correlates
4
adversity objective
4
objective childhood
4

Similar Publications

Suggested mechanisms for an association between early life adversity and worse glycaemic control.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Despite potential protective and mitigating effects of positive childhood experiences (PCEs) on poor health outcomes, limited research has identified relevant PCEs and examined their individual and cumulative associations with weight status, or their mitigating effects on the associations between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and obesity in children. This study aims to develop an exploratory PCEs Index with the potential to protect against or mitigate the association between ACEs and unhealthy weight status.

Methods: Data came from the Growing Up in New Zealand study.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may be more susceptible to early life stress compared to their neurotypical peers. This increased susceptibility may be linked to regionally-specific changes in the striatum and amygdala, brain regions sensitive to stress and critical for shaping maladaptive behavioural responses. This study examined early life stress and its impact on striatal and amygdala development in 62 children and adolescents (35 males, mean age = 10.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Childhood adversity is robustly associated with mental ill-health. Yet questions remain about how different ways of conceptualising adversity relate to psychiatric diagnoses and service activity. This research aims to examine associations between typological and cumulative conceptualisations of adversity, and psychiatric diagnosis and service activity.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!