The song remains the same? Responses to adversity in childhood

Abstract

Childhood adversity, specifically abuse and neglect has several outcomes. Both insecure attachment styles and personality disorder traits (borderline and psychopathic traits) are known responses. This dissertation examined two main objectives. The first, to replicate findings where the relationship between childhood adversity and borderline and separately psychopathic traits were indirect through insecure attachment style. In Study 1, anxious attachment was hypothesized to mediate the relationship between adversity and borderline traits and avoidant attachment was hypothesized to mediate for psychopathic traits. In Studies 2 and 3, utilizing Bayesian methodology, fearful attachment was added to the model and hypothesized to mediate the relationship for Factor 2 psychopathic traits. The second objective was to expand the model to include other potential mechanisms in the relationship between adversity and borderline/psychopathic traits. Specifically, the role of mindfulness was examined. Across 3 separate studies, insecure attachment and lower mindfulness were examined. Overall, the findings for insecure attachment were replicated which was supported by the previous literature. The role of mindfulness was more complicated; however, more support for mindfulness as a mediator was found versus mindfulness as a moderator. Limitations and implications are discussed.