Investigating the Moderating Relationship of Childhood Trauma and Neurotic Behaviors

Publication Date

Spring 4-22-2026

Presentation Length

15 minutes

College

College of Sciences & Mathematics

Department

Psychological Science, Department of

Student Level

Undergraduate

Faculty Mentor

Amber Turner

Metadata/Fulltext

Metadata ONLY

Presentation Type

Talk/Oral

Summary

Existing research shows that childhood trauma and neuroticism are closely linked in the development of later mental health issues. Neuroticism, characterized by emotional instability and negative affect, is strongly associated with anxiety and depression and can also contribute to physical health problems. Importantly, it is influenced by environmental factors like early stress and trauma (Widiger & Oltmanns, 2017). Supporting this, individuals who report higher levels of childhood trauma tend to exhibit greater neuroticism and an earlier onset of depressive symptoms (Moskvina et al., 2007). Additionally, experiences such as parental separation have been associated with increased trauma exposure, which contributes to depression indirectly rather than directly affecting neuroticism (Sanwald et al., 2023). Trauma has also been shown to increase vulnerability to emotional disorders across the lifespan (Dye, 2018), highlighting its lasting psychological impact. Together, these findings suggest that trauma and neuroticism are key factors in understanding the development of anxiety. The current study examines whether childhood trauma moderates the relationship between neuroticism and anxiety. We hypothesize that higher neuroticism will predict greater anxiety, and that this relationship will be stronger among individuals with higher levels of childhood trauma. We will share findings and discuss their implications.

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