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.