Associations between adverse childhood experiences and schizotypal personality traits in a non-clinical sample

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are associated with elevated risk for psychosis-spectrum outcomes, yet less is known about whether specific forms of adversity differentially relate to schizotypal traits as a function of gender. The present study examined whether gender moderates associations between individual ACE categories, particularly childhood sexual abuse (CSA), and multidimensional schizotypal traits in a non-clinical undergraduate sample. Participants (N = 864) completed the Adverse Childhood Experiences Questionnaire and the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire-Brief Revised. Analyses were conducted in a matched sample (N = 302) equating men and women on exposure to CSA and physical abuse, and moderation models tested gender × ACE interactions across positive, negative, and disorganized schizotypy domains. Significant gender × CSA interactions emerged across multiple domains. Women with a history of CSA exhibited higher levels of negative (social anxiety, constricted affect, and no close friends) and select positive (ideas of reference) schizotypal traits compared to men with similar exposure. Other ACE categories demonstrated domain-specific main effects but weaker and less consistent moderation by gender. These findings indicate that CSA confers gender-dependent vulnerability to psychosis-spectrum traits, particularly within interpersonal and affective domains, even when exposure is controlled. Results highlight the importance of modeling specific adversities and moderation effects when examining psychosis risk and support the need for gender-sensitive, trauma-informed approaches to early identification and prevention.