title: Cross-sectional and longitudinal relationship between neuroticism and cognitive ability in advanced old age: the moderating role of severe sensory impairment.
abstract: Gaining a comprehensive picture of the network of constructs in which cognitive functioning is embedded is crucial across the full lifespan. With respect to personality, previous findings support a relationship between neuroticism and cognitive abilities. However, findings regarding old age are inconsistent. In particular, little is known about potentially moderating variables which might explain some of the inconsistency. Our aim was to examine the moderating effect of severe sensory impairment on cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between neuroticism and cognitive functioning.
  
  
  
  The study sample consisted of 121 visually impaired (VI), 116 hearing impaired (HI), and 150 sensory unimpaired older adults (UI). Mean age was 82.50 years (SD = 4.71 years). Neuroticism was assessed by the NEO Five Factor Inventory, and multiple established tests were used for the assessment of cognitive performance (e.g., subtests of the revised Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale).
  
  
  
  Bivariate correlations and multi-group structural equation models indicated stronger relationships between cognitive abilities and neuroticism in both sensory impaired groups (VI and HI) compared to UI older individuals. This relationship was attenuated but still significant in both sensory impaired groups when controlling for age, education and health (number of chronic conditions). In cross-lagged panel models, higher baseline neuroticism was significantly associated with lower cognitive performance four years later in VI and HI individuals.
  
  
  
  Our results suggest that sensory impairment moderates both cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between neuroticism and cognitive function in advanced old age.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychological Aging Research, Institute of Psychology , Heidelberg University , Heidelberg , Germany , and Network Aging Research (NAR) , Heidelberg University , Heidelberg , Germany.
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wettstein
authors.affiliation: b Institute of Health Research , University of Exeter Medical School , Exeter , UK.
authors.forename: Elżbieta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kuźma
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychological Aging Research, Institute of Psychology , Heidelberg University , Heidelberg , Germany , and Network Aging Research (NAR) , Heidelberg University , Heidelberg , Germany.
authors.forename: Hans-Werner
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Wahl
authors.affiliation: c Institute of Special Education , University of Education , Heidelberg , Germany.
authors.forename: Vera
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Heyl
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003071:Cognition; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D000075384:Neuroticism; D019986:Persons with Hearing Disabilities; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D019987:Persons with Visual Disabilities
keywords: cognitive ability; hearing impairment; neuroticism; sensory impairment; vision impairment