title: Neuroticism and extraversion in relation to physiological stress reactivity during adolescence.
abstract: The current study examined mean level and change in extraversion and neuroticism across adolescence in relation to physiological stress reactivity to social evaluation. Adolescents (n=327) from the Dutch general population reported on personality measures at five annual assessments. At age 17 years, adolescents participated in a psychosocial stress procedure characterized by social evaluation during which cortisol, heart rate, pre-ejection period (PEP) and heart rate variability were assessed. Dual latent growth curve models were fitted in which the intercepts (mean level) and slopes (change) of personality across adolescence predicted the intercepts (baseline) and slopes (reactivity) of the physiological stress measures. Most comparisons revealed no relation between personality and stress reactivity. Adolescents with higher mean level scores on extraversion did show lower cortisol reactivity. Adolescents with higher mean level neuroticism scores showed higher PEP reactivity. Our findings lend partial support for a relation between personality and physiological stress reactivity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental Psychology and the EMGO Institute for Health and Care, VU University Amsterdam, Van de Boechorststraat 1, 1081 BT Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University, Montessorilaan 3, 6525HR Nijmegen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: b.evans@bsi.ru.nl.
authors.forename: Brittany E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental Psychology and the EMGO Institute for Health and Care, VU University Amsterdam, Van de Boechorststraat 1, 1081 BT Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jacqueline
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stam
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental Psychology and the EMGO Institute for Health and Care, VU University Amsterdam, Van de Boechorststraat 1, 1081 BT Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Anja C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Huizink
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Child and Family Studies, VU University Amsterdam, Van de Boechorststraat 1, 1081 BT Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Agnes M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Willemen
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, Leiden University, Wassenaarseweg 52, 2333 AK Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: P Michiel
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Westenberg
authors.affiliation: Research Centre Adolescent Development, Utrecht University, Heidelberglaan 1, 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Branje
authors.affiliation: Research Centre Adolescent Development, Utrecht University, Heidelberglaan 1, 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands; Department of Developmental Psychology, Tilburg University, P.O. Box 90153, 5000 LE Tilburg, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Wim
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Meeus
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental Psychology and the EMGO Institute for Health and Care, VU University Amsterdam, Van de Boechorststraat 1, 1081 BT Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Hans M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Koot
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental Psychology and the EMGO Institute for Health and Care, VU University Amsterdam, Van de Boechorststraat 1, 1081 BT Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Pol A C
authors.initials: PAC
authors.lastname: van Lier
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D041923:Adolescent Development / Q000502:physiology*; D001008:Anxiety Disorders; D005120:Extraversion, Psychological; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D000075384:Neuroticism; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D006854:Hydrocortisone
keywords: Adolescence; Cortisol; Extraversion; Heart rate; Heart rate variability; Neuroticism; Personality; Pre-ejection period; Stress reactivity