title: Personality traits of centenarians' offspring.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether the offspring of centenarians have personality characteristics that are distinct from the general population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Case-control.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nationwide U.S. sample.
  
  
  METHODS
  Unrelated offspring of centenarians (n=246, mean age 75) were compared with published norms.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using the NEO-Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI) questionnaire, measures of the personality traits neuroticism, extraversion, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness were obtained. T-scores and percentiles were calculated according to sex and used to interpret the results.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Male and female offspring of centenarians scored in the low range of published norms for neuroticism and in the high range for extraversion. The women also scored comparatively high in agreeableness. Otherwise, both sexes scored within normal range for conscientiousness and openness, and the men scored within normal range for agreeableness.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Specific personality traits may be important to the relative successful aging demonstrated by the offspring of centenarians. Similarities across four of the five domains between male and female offspring is noteworthy and may relate to their successful aging. Measures of personality are an important phenotype to include in studies that assess genetic and environmental influences of longevity and successful aging.
authors.affiliation: New England Centenarian Study, Geriatrics Section, School of Medicine, Boston University and Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts 02118, USA.
authors.forename: Jane L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Givens
authors.forename: Maureen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Frederick
authors.forename: Leanne
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Silverman
authors.forename: Stacy
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Senville
authors.forename: Margery
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Silver
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sebastiani
authors.forename: Dellara F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Terry
authors.forename: Paul T
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: Thomas T
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Perls
mesh_terms: D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010555:Personality Inventory; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States