Master's Theses

Department

Psychology

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Abstract

Childhood trauma is a significant and increasing problem in the United States, with research showing that two-thirds of children have experienced at least one traumatic event before reaching the age of sixteen (SAMHSA, 2023). These events can have severe consequences in adulthood, including impacts on personality. However, there are protective factors, such as resilience, that can help mitigate the negative effects of childhood trauma. Extensive research and discussion have focused on the relationship between childhood trauma and personality, particularly in terms of mental health. However, research has been limited to investigating all Big Five personality traits and childhood traumas along with an ungeneralizable sample. Thus, this study investigated the relationship between childhood trauma (physical neglect, physical abuse, emotional neglect, emotional abuse, and sexual abuse), the development of personality traits (neuroticism, agreeableness, openness to experience, extraversion, and conscientiousness), and how resilience plays a moderating role. Participants (n = 392), primarily from the Midwest, completed a series of self-report questionnaires to assess the main variables of interest. Results indicate that resilience serves as a significant moderator for the traits of extroversion, agreeableness, and conscientiousness; for these three personality characteristics in particular, more resilience following childhood trauma enhances these traits. These results can be used to further understand the impact of childhood trauma on adult personality traits and to enhance the significance of equipping children and adults with protective measures and evidence-based resilience interventions after experiencing childhood trauma. This can result in bolstering their resilience and potentially mitigating detrimental effects on adulthood.

Keywords

adverse childhood experiences, protective factors, child abuse and neglect. trait resilience

Advisor

Dr. Whitney Whitaker

Date of Award

Spring 2025

Document Type

Thesis

Rights

© The Author

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