Adverse and positive childhood experiences and their associations with dark personality traits

•Adverse childhood experiences were positively associated with psychopathy, sadism, and narcissism.•Positive childhood experiences were positively associated with narcissism, and negatively associated with psychopathy, sadism, and Machiavellianism.•After controlling for age and gender, positive childhood experiences moderated the relationships between (a) adverse childhood experiences and psychopathy, and (b) adverse childhood experiences and sadism. Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are linked topsychopathy, narcissism, and Machiavellianism, while positive parenting practicescorrelate withnarcissism. We investigated whether ACEs and Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs) predict Dark Tetrad traits, and whether PCEs moderate these relationships. Participants and Setting A total of 931 participants (283 men, 632 women,16 non-binary;Mage = 35.72 years,SD = 12.52) completed an online survey. Participants completedthe NPI, SRP-III, Mach-IV, SIS,CES-17, and the BCES. ACEs predictedpsychopathy, narcissism, and sadism, while PCEs were positively associated withnarcissism. PCEsmoderated the relationships between ACEs and (a) psychopathy,and (b)sadism. The findings highlightthe protective role PCEsplay in the development of certain Dark Tetrad traits.