Self-reported extremely adverse life events and longitudinal changes in five-factor model personality traits in an urban sample.
This study examined longitudinal personality change in response to extremely adverse life events in a sample (N = 458) drawn from the East Baltimore Epidemiologic Catchment Area study. Five-factor model personality traits were assessed twice over an average interval of 8 years. Twenty-five percent of the participants reported an extremely horrifying or frightening event within 2 years before the second personality assessment. Relative to the rest of the sample, they showed increases in neuroticism, decreases in the compliance facet of agreeableness, and decreases in openness to values. Baseline personality was unrelated to future events, but among participants who reported extreme events, lower extraversion and/or conscientiousness at baseline as well as longitudinal increases in neuroticism predicted lower mental health at follow-up.
Löckenhoff
Corinna E
CE
Laboratory of Personality and Cognition, National Institute on Aging, NIH, DHHS, Baltimore, MD, USA. Loeckenhoff@gmail.com
Terracciano
Antonio
A
Patriciu
Nicholas S
NS
Eaton
William W
WW
Costa
Paul T
PT
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015142:Baltimore / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D010551:Personality; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000523:psychology; D014505:Urban Population