Predicting antisocial personality traits based adverse childhood experiences regarding the mediating role of psychological inflexibility: Presenting a structural model

Antisocial personality has increased dramatically worldwide. Several causative factors exist for developing an antisocial personality, most rooted in the individual's past. The present study aimed to model structural equations for antisocial personality traits with particular reference to adverse childhood experiences and psychological inflexibility.

The statistical population of this study included all individuals who turned to health centers in Hamedan during the six months of 2021 and 2022, of which 361 individuals were selected using convenience sampling. The instruments used were the Adverse Childhood Experiences Questionnaire, the Psychological Inflexibility Questionnaire, and the Norm Deviation Questionnaire. The method of data analysis was performed using Amos and structural equations, specifically the bootstrapping method.

The obtained results indicated that adverse childhood experiences and psychological inflexibility were significantly and directly related to antisocial personality traits (P<0.01). In addition, adverse childhood experiences were related to antisocial personality traits via psychological inflexibility (P<0.01). Structural equation analysis for the relationships between indicators revealed that the direct effect of adverse and inflexible psychological experiences on antisocial personality traits was 0.44 and 0.35, respectively, and the indirect effect of adverse childhood experiences on antisocial personality traits was 0.26.

According to the findings, this study concluded that the model of adverse childhood experiences predicts antisocial personality with a mediating role of psychological inflexibility. Therefore, providing treatments that increase psychological flexibility (e.g., treatments based on acceptance and commitment) may reduce antisocial personality symptoms.