Parental attachment and its relationship to contextualised trait expression and mean-corrected cross-context trait variability

The study explored relationships between attachment to parents, personality traits and cross-context trait variability in adulthood. The 209 adult participants completed the Parental Attachment Questionnaire (PAQ), and rated themselves on a Big Five trait inventory to describe their personality as it manifests when with parents, friends and work colleagues. Indices of intra-individual variability were corrected to negate correlations between trait variability and trait means. It was found that weaker parental attachment was related to higher levels of cross-context variability in Agreeableness, Openness to Experience and Emotional Stability (Neuroticism). Correlations between an overall index of cross-context personality variability and trait means were moderated by context. {PAQ} scores were linked to all five trait means in the parent context, but not to trait means in other contexts. The findings support a link between the attachment bond with parents and particular personality traits in respect to both cross-context variability and mean level.