title: Personality trait level and change as predictors of health outcomes: findings from a national study of Americans (MIDUS).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Personality traits predict numerous health outcomes, but previous studies have rarely used personality change to predict health.
  
  
  METHODS
  The current investigation utilized a large national sample of 3,990 participants from the Midlife in the U.S. study (MIDUS) to examine if both personality trait level and personality change longitudinally predict 3 different health outcomes (i.e., self-rated physical health, self-reported blood pressure, and number of days limited at work or home due to physical health reasons) over a 10-year span.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Each of the Big Five traits, except openness, predicted self-rated health. Change in agreeableness, conscientiousness, and extraversion also predicted self-rated health. Trait levels of conscientiousness and neuroticism level predicted self-reported blood pressure. All trait levels except agreeableness predicted number of work days limited. Only change in conscientiousness predicted the number of work days limited.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Findings demonstrate that a full understanding of the link between personality and health requires consideration of trait change as well as trait level.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Development & Family Studies, Center on Aging & the Life Course, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2055, USA. nturiano@purdue.edu
authors.forename: Nicholas A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Turiano
authors.forename: Lindsay
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pitzer
authors.forename: Cherie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Armour
authors.forename: Arun
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karlamangla
authors.forename: Carol D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Ryff
authors.forename: Daniel K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Mroczek
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005544:Forecasting; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010551:Personality / Q000145:classification*; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D057566:Self Report; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014937:Work / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000639:trends