Trauma, Care, and Morality: Emotions as the Link Between Childhood Adversity and Moral Foundations

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are prevalent predictors of poor health outcomes in adulthood, but their impact on moral foundations remains underexplored. This quantitative cross-sectional study was an examination in to the effects of ACEs on adult morality and proposed affective personality traits and caregiving factors as possible mediating mechanisms. The researcher administered a comprehensive online survey to a global sample of N = 376 English-speaking adults, comprised of four validated survey measures that assessed both retrospective and present experiences, traits, and character styles. The survey assessed ACE exposure (10-item ACE-Q), species-typical caregiving practices (EDNH), the Affective Neuroscience Personality Scales (ANPS), and the 20-item Moral Foundations Questionnaire (MFQ-20), an assessment of moral intuitions derived from Moral Foundations Theory (MFT). The researcher designed the study to test the trauma/Thriving-Emotions-Morality (tTEM) framework, which posits that emotions are primary in moral beliefs and are cultivated through childhood relationships. Results from group comparisons between high-ACE (≥4) and low-ACE (≤ 3) participants indicated small but significant differences, with high-ACE participants tending toward higher Individualizing and lower Binding moral foundations scores compared to low-ACE participants. Structural equation modeling (SEM) indicated a mediated link between ACEs and MFT, where positive personality traits and heightened EDNH scores positively predicted both Binding and Individualizing moral foundations. These results suggest that early nurturance promotes positive emotional development, shaping moral proclivities. Such research is instructive for clinicians, educators, and policymakers alike, informing existing practices and promoting the future development of enrichment programs that support positive childhood experiences and later moral development.