title: Adulthood personality correlates of childhood adversity.
abstract: 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.
  
  
  METHODS
  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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Miami Coral Gables, FL, USA ; Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences Stanford, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Charles S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Carver
authors.affiliation: Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences Stanford, CA, USA ; Department of Psychology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Sheri L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Miami Coral Gables, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Michael E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: McCullough
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Miami Coral Gables, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Daniel E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Forster
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Yale University New Haven, CT, USA.
authors.forename: Jutta
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Joormann
keywords: adversity; aggression; agreeableness; extrinsic focus; interdependence; pride; social connection