Attention after adversity: examining temperament as a protective and risk factor

Attentional control (AC) is an executive function referring to the ability to attend to pertinent information in the face of distractions. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are characterized by various forms of abuse and neglect experienced before the age of 18. Temperament is an early-appearing variation in attention-related self-regulation that is thought to be largely influenced by genetics. This study assessed the effect of ACEs on attentional control, the role of temperament as a protective/risk factor, and individual differences through eyetracking. Results showed no direct relationship between ACEs and attentional control, however, ACEs were consistently associated with higher negative affect and orienting sensitivity, as well as lower effortful control. Interactions between ACEs and negative affect, and orienting sensitivity, emerged in the relationship to efficiency cost on the antisaccade task. This study provides a novel view into adult temperament, as well as how adversity and temperament interact to shape attentional control.