Childhood experiences and adult health: the moderating effects of temperament

• Main Authors: Jacob R. Miller, Aaron Cheung, Lynneth Kirsten Novilla, AliceAnn Crandall
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2020-05-01
• Series: Heliyon
• Subjects: Neuroscience; Psychology; Physical activity; Mental health; Individual differences; Personality assessment
• Online Access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844020307726

Existing literature demonstrates a strong relationship between childhood experiences and adult health outcomes. The Differential Susceptibility to Environment Theory suggests that there are several factors, including personality, that affect a child's sensitivity to adverse and advantageous experiences. A sample of 246 adults (ages 19–57) were asked questions about extroverted personality characteristics, adverse and advantageous childhood experiences (ACEs and counter-ACEs), and several indicators of adult health, including executive functioning, perceived stress levels, depression, and past smoking habits. The sample was then stratified based on level of extroversion scores with the top quartile being labeled as “extroverts”, the bottom quartile as “introverts”, and those in between as “ambiverts”. Regression analyses were then used to assess the relationship between childhood experiences and each adult health outcome. The results of the study showed that the relationship between childhood experiences and adult health was generally stronger among extroverted individuals. These results suggest that extroverts may be more sensitive to environmental influences in childhood as compared to introverts and ambiverts. More research is needed to understand the neurobiological mechanisms that increase environmental sensitivity among extroverts.