Personality Correlates and Childhood Trauma Among Indian Prisoners

Childhood trauma has emerged as a critical determinant in shaping criminal behavior, with research indicating a strong association between early adverse experiences and later criminal behavioral tendencies. This study aimed to examine the relationship between childhood trauma and personality traits among adult prisoners in India, using the Five Factor Model (FFM) as a theoretical framework for personality. Employing a cross-sectional design, data were collected from 201 prisoner participants across two Indian prisons through purposive sampling. Standardized tools, including the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire – Short Form (CTQ-SF) and NEO Five Factor Inventory-3 (NEO-FFI-3), were used to assess trauma exposure and personality dimensions respectively. Results of Spearman’s rho correlation revealed that neuroticism was positively correlated with all forms of abuse and neglect, while agreeableness and conscientiousness were negatively associated with emotional and physical trauma. Extraversion was significantly negatively correlated only with emotional neglect, and openness showed no significant associations. These findings suggest that childhood trauma may contribute to the development of maladaptive personality traits—such as heightened emotional reactivity, reduced empathy, and poor self-regulation—which in turn may increase the risk of antisocial and criminal behavior. The study highlights the need of trauma-informed assessments and interventions in correctional settings and thus highlights the relevance of personality profiling in understanding criminal behavior within diverse cultural contexts.