Examining the complex relations between childhood adversity, mindfulness, attachment, and various personality outcomes: A Bayesian structural equation modeling approach.

Abstract

Research has demonstrated that childhood abuse and neglect can negatively impact individuals into adulthood. Abuse and neglect are associated with insecure attachment, lower mindfulness, and disordered personality traits, including borderline and psychopathic traits. Objective: The purpose of our present study was two-fold; first, we wanted to replicate the finding that the relationships between abuse and neglect and these traits are partly indirect through insecure attachment. Second, we wanted to determine whether mindfulness is an additional mediator in these relationships. Method: A sample of 291 undergraduate students participated in the current study (M age = 21.7, SD = 6.5). Results: Findings from a Bayesian Structural Equation Model supported the prediction that the relationship between childhood abuse and neglect and disordered personality traits was indirect through insecure attachment. More specifically, for borderline traits it was indirect through anxious attachment while interpersonal manipulation and callous affect psychopathic traits it was indirect through avoidant attachment. Importantly, mindfulness was not a significant mediator in the model for any of the outcome variables. Conclusions: Overall, there was support for the idea that insecure attachment was a potential mechanism in the relationship between childhood abuse and neglect and disordered personality traits, though there was no support for mindfulness as a potential mediator. Implications are discussed. Clinical Impact StatementChildhood abuse and neglect have been implicated in the development of disordered personality traits, including borderline and psychopathic traits. Such traits are related to various negative outcomes, including risk-taking, impulsivity, and hostility (American Psychological Association [APA], 2013), highlighting the need to find targets for intervention. Our findings indicate that the relationship between abuse/neglect and borderline traits appears to be indirect through anxious attachment while the relationship between abuse/neglect and psychopathic traits (interpersonal manipulation and callous affect) is mediated by avoidant attachment. Mindfulness was not a significant mediator in these relationships.