Despite high rates of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and personality-related distur bances among delinquent juveniles, associations among ACEs, youth personality, and juvenile crime
involvement are still unclear. High-risk samples of institutionalized youth are in specific need of a
comprehensive assessment of ACEs and personality features in order to broaden the current knowl edge on the occurrence and persistence of juvenile crime and to derive implications for prevention
and intervention. We examined a heterogeneous high-risk sample of 342 adolescents (35.1% females,
64.9% males) aged between 12 and 18 years (M = 15.74, SD = 1.61 years) living in child-welfare or ju venile justice institutions regarding cumulative ACEs, psychopathic traits, temperament, and clinical
personality disorder ratings, and criminal involvement before and up to 10 years after assessment.
We found considerable rates of ACEs, although cumulative ACEs did not predict future crime. Latent
Profile Analysis based on dimensional measures of psychopathy, temperament, and personality
disorders derived six distinct personality profiles, which were differently related to ACEs, personality
disturbances, clinical psychopathology, and future delinquency. A socially difficult personality profile
was associated with increased risk of future crime, whereas avoidant personality traits appeared
protective. Findings indicate that the role of ACEs in the prediction of juvenile delinquency is still not
sufficiently clear and that relying on single personality traits alone is insufficient in the explanation of
juvenile crime
