Ceballos Natalie A, Watt Toni Terling
Department of Psychology, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX 78666, USA.
Department of Sociology, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX 78666, USA.
Behav Sci (Basel). 2023 Nov 22;13(12):961. doi: 10.3390/bs13120961.
Childhood trauma may increase the risk of antisocial behavior in young adulthood. Our study examined the relationship between Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and the specific antisocial behavior of malevolent creativity (MC), the application of original ideas to purposely harm others, often to gain an unfair advantage through manipulation, threat, or harm.
We surveyed college students ( = 524; 78% women) on demographics, ACEs, empathy, social support, coping, general creativity, and malevolent creativity. The data were analyzed via sequential linear regression models.
Reporting ≥ 4 ACEs was associated with increased MC, which remained significant when general creativity and demographics were controlled. The association between higher ACEs and MC was no longer significant when psychosocial control variables (social support, empathy, and coping) were included in the statistical model. Social support and empathy were negatively associated with MC, while coping and MC were positively associated.
ACEs may increase the likelihood of malevolent creativity in young adulthood, but empathy and social support may disrupt this trajectory. Care should be taken that coping skills, while typically viewed as a positive addition to one's behavioral repertoire, do not push individuals toward over-reliance on themselves, which may reduce prosocial behaviors and increase MC.
童年创伤可能会增加青年期出现反社会行为的风险。我们的研究考察了童年不良经历（ACEs）与恶意创造力（MC）这一特定反社会行为之间的关系，恶意创造力是指将原创想法用于故意伤害他人，通常是通过操纵、威胁或伤害来获得不公平优势。
我们对大学生（n = 524；78%为女性）进行了关于人口统计学、ACEs、同理心、社会支持、应对方式、一般创造力和恶意创造力的调查。数据通过逐步线性回归模型进行分析。
报告有≥4次ACEs与MC增加有关，在控制了一般创造力和人口统计学因素后，这种关联仍然显著。当将社会心理控制变量（社会支持、同理心和应对方式）纳入统计模型时，较高的ACEs与MC之间的关联不再显著。社会支持和同理心与MC呈负相关，而应对方式与MC呈正相关。
ACEs可能会增加青年期出现恶意创造力的可能性，但同理心和社会支持可能会干扰这一发展轨迹。应注意的是，应对技能虽然通常被视为个人行为模式中的积极补充，但不应使个体过度依赖自身，这可能会减少亲社会行为并增加MC。
