Personality as a Possible Intervention Target to Prevent Traumatic Events in Adolescence

Traumatic events (severe injury, violence, threatened death) are commonly experienced by children. Such events are associated with a dose-response increasing risk of subsequent substance use, mental illness, chronic disease, and premature mortality. Preventing the accumulation of traumatic events is thus an urgent public health priority. Substance use risk personality profiles (impulsivity, sensation seeking, hopelessness, and anxiety sensitivity) may be an important target for preventing trauma exposure, given associations between these personality traits and risky behaviour, substance misuse, and injuries across adolescence. The current study aimed to investigate associations between personality at age 13 and the number of traumatic events experienced by age 18. It also examined associations between traumas before age 13 and personality at age 13. Participants were the control group of a cluster-randomised controlled trial examining prevention of adolescent alcohol misuse. Baseline data were collected at ages 12-13 (2012). Participants were followed-up at ages 18-19 (2017-2018). Personality profiles of hopelessness, anxiety sensitivity, impulsivity, and sensation seeking were measured at baseline using the Substance Use Risk Profile Scale. Traumatic events and age of exposure were measured at age 18-19 using the Life Events Checklist for DSM-5. Mixed-effect regression was conducted on 287 participants in Stata 17, controlling for sex. High scores on hopelessness, impulsivity, and sensation seeking at age 13 were associated with a greater number of traumatic events by age 18. Impulsivity and sensation seeking predicted the number of new traumatic events from age 13 to 18. Prior trauma exposure was associated with high hopelessness at age 13. Adolescents exhibiting high impulsivity or sensation seeking may be at greater risk of experiencing traumatic events. Additionally, early trauma exposure may contribute to the development of a hopelessness personality trait.