Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Dark Triad Traits, Adverse Childhood Experiences, impulsivity and sensation seeking significantly influence whether one engages in or avoids various risk behaviours and personality throughout life. OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to investigate how Dark Triad Traits, Adverse Childhood Experience and impulsivity sensation influence risk taking behaviour personality throughout life. METHODS: The sample included 222 university students from four universities, 82 males (36.9%) and 140 females (63.1%), and aged between 18 and 51 years. RESULTS: The results showed that adverse childhood experiences, psychopathy, narcissism, impulsivity and sensation-seeking predicted risk taking. Machiavellianism, on the other hand, did not significantly predict risk taking. Based on results, adverse childhood experiences predicted risk-taking directly and indirectly through psychopathy, narcissism, impulsivity and sensation seeking. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that early childhood experiences are a significant factor in personality traits and that positive early experiences could lead to minimising risk taking and reducing levels of impulsivity, sensation-seeking and dark triad traits.