title: Long-term correlated change between personality traits and perceived social support in middle adulthood.
abstract: This study investigated long-term correlated change between personality traits and perceived social support in middle adulthood. Two measurement occasions with an 8-year time interval from the Interdisciplinary Longitudinal Study on Adult Development (ILSE) were used. The sample consisted of 346 middle-aged adults (46-50 years at T1). Four different types of perceived social support were assessed. Personality traits were assessed with the NEO-Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI). Longitudinal measurement invariance (MI) was established for both measures. The mean rank-order stabilities were .79 and .62 for personality traits and for perceived social support, respectively. The results demonstrated a mean-level increase for neuroticism and a decrease for extraversion and significant change variances for all constructs. The results of latent change models showed significant initial level correlations and correlated changes between personality traits and social support, implying that changes in these constructs show commonality. The results can expand our current thinking about correlated change in personality.
authors: University of Zurich, Switzerland m.allemand@psychologie.uzh.ch.
authors: Mathias
authors: M
authors: Allemand
authors: University of Zurich, Switzerland.
authors: Kathrin
authors: K
authors: Schaffhuser
authors: University of Zurich, Switzerland.
authors: Mike
authors: M
authors: Martin
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008960:Models, Psychological; D010551:Personality; D010556:Personality Tests; D012938:Social Perception; D012944:Social Support
keywords: latent change models; long-term correlated change; middle adulthood; personality traits; social support