Impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences on Personality Development within a Collectivist Culture
ACEs and Personality in Collectivist Culture
Keywords:
Adverse childhood experience, Collectivist culture, Personality development, Trauma, Young AdultsAbstract
Background: Personality development is influenced by various factors including adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), which refer to abuse, neglect, and family dysfunction during childhood. Within collectivist cultures, the impact of ACEs on personality development may differ from individualistic societies due to cultural values emphasizing family harmony and group cohesion. This study aimed to assess the impact of ACEs on personality development within a collectivist culture context.
Methods: A cross-sectional quantitative study was conducted among 402 individuals aged 18-30 years from Pakistani collectivist culture. Data collection occurred in two phases: Phase A used the Adverse Childhood Experiences Revised Questionnaire (10 items) to assess ACE exposure, and Phase B employed the Big Five Personality Assessment (87 items) among 227 participants who had experienced ACEs. Spearman's rank correlation analysis was used to examine relationships between ACE exposure and personality traits.
Results: ACEs were more prevalent among males (63.4%) compared to females (53.0%), individuals with lower education levels, and those from low-income (75.9%) or upper-class (78.9%) socioeconomic backgrounds. No significant correlations were found between ACE exposure and any of the Big Five personality traits (openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, neuroticism; all p > 0.05). Cultural taboos and limitations in discussing childhood adversities may have influenced participant responses.
Conclusion: Despite significant demographic differences in ACE prevalence, no substantial associations were found between ACE exposure and personality trait development in this collectivist culture sample. Cultural factors, including societal taboos surrounding family dysfunction, may have affected honest reporting of childhood experiences. Mental health awareness programs and trauma screenings should be integrated into healthcare and educational practices while considering cultural sensitivities in collectivist societies.
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Copyright (c) 2025 This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
