Assessing Child Maltreatment and Its Relationships With Personality, Resilience and Attachment in Adulthood

Abstract

The main objective of this study is to examine the psychological effects of childhood abuse in adulthood, focusing on personality traits, resilience and attachment style within a large sample specifically centred on the Spanish context. A total of 700 adults participated, of whom 24.4% reported experiencing some form of childhood abuse. The results indicate that individuals who reported experiencing childhood abuse exhibit lower levels of responsibility, agreeableness, extraversion and resilience, as well as a greater tendency to develop an insecure attachment style compared to those without a history of abuse. Furthermore, findings suggest that both attachment style and specific personality traits (extraversion, agreeableness and responsibility) partially mediate the relationship between childhood maltreatment and resilience. These results highlight the critical need for a comprehensive approach to prevent childhood abuse and neglect, emphasising the importance of early interventions to foster adaptive personality development, resilience and secure attachment in adulthood.