Life Events and Personality Trait Change

What do you bring to the table? Exploring psychological attributes that predict successful military training

The psychological characteristics that new recruits bring when starting military basic training (MBT) may help or hinder successful completion rates. The first part of this study explores how psychological characteristics assessed at the start of MBT influence retention and performance outcomes upon completion. At the start and upon completing MBT, a sample of 204 UK male Infantry recruits undergoing a 26-week Combat Infantryman's Course were assessed on personality traits (psychoticism, neuroticism, and extroversion); a set of relevant cognitions (i.e. effortful control); motivation (i.e. internalization of military core values); and an assessment of mentally tough behavior. Recruits who successfully completed MBT were significantly higher in age, psychoticism, and mentally tough behavior. The second part of the study explored how MBT influenced these variables across time. A subsample of 132 male Infantry recruits that passed basic military training first time were analyzed. Across the 26-week course, there was a significant increase in extraversion, and a significant decrease in neuroticism, and external regulation. Results differed slightly when we removed the lowest passing group from the analysis and whether MANOVA or Logistic Regression analysis was used. Results indicate that what you bring to the table will influence pass and retention rates.

The perception of major life events across the life course

To better understand the effects of life events, research interest recently turned to the question of how life events are perceived (e.g., as positive, predictable, or controllable). However, research on this topic primarily focused on young adulthood, leaving it unclear whether and how the perception of life events varies across the life course. In this study, we examined the relationship between age and different perceived event characteristics using nationally representative data from the German Socioeconomic Panel Innovation Sample (N = 1,044). We found that people reported different event types across among age groups. Furthermore, the perception of life events varied across age and depending on whether an event was experienced at a normative age or not. These findings underline the necessity to take on a life-course perspective when examining life events and support theoretical claims on the relevance of age norms in life-event research.

Short-term personality development and early career success: Two longitudinal studies during the post-graduation transition

OBJECTIVE

Investigate short-term personality development during the post-graduation transition.

BACKGROUND

Prior research indicates that long-term personality development matters for employment outcomes. However, this evidence is primarily limited to multi-year longitudinal studies. This research switches the focus to personality changes during a shorter, impactful life transition.

METHOD

We examined how short-term personality development during the 14-month post-graduation transition relates to early career outcomes among two diverse samples of graduates from universities (N = 816) and community colleges (N = 567). We used latent growth curve models to examine associations between career outcomes measured 14 months after graduation with initial personality levels and personality changes.

RESULTS

Results revealed that mean-level changes in personality were small and mostly negative. Moreover, individual differences in personality changes were not associated with career outcomes. However, initial levels of conscientiousness, emotional stability, and extraversion positively related to both subjective and objective career success. Initial levels of agreeableness were also positively related to subjective (but not objective) success.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings indicate that individual differences in personality trait levels at graduation are stronger predictors of early career success compared to short-term personality changes during the post-graduation transition. Taken together, these results help define the time sequence through which personality changes relate to career outcomes.

Can personality traits be predicted from resting-state EEG oscillations? A replication study

Personality neuroscience seeks to uncover the neurobiological underpinnings of personality. Identifying links between measures of brain activity and personality traits is important in this respect. Using an entirely inductive approach, Jach et al. (2020) attempted to predict personality trait scores from resting-state spectral electroencephalography (EEG) using multivariate pattern analysis (MVPA) and found meaningful results for Agreeableness. The exploratory nature of this work and concerns about replicability in general require a rigorous replication, which was the aim of the current study. We applied the same analytic approach to a large data set (N = 772) to evaluate the robustness of the previous results. Similar to Jach et al. (2020), 8 min of resting-state EEG before and after unrelated tasks with both eyes open and closed were analyzed using support vector regressions (SVR). A 10-fold cross-validation was used to evaluate the prediction accuracy between the spectral power of 59 EEG electrodes within 30 frequency bins ranging from 1 to 30 Hz and Big Five personality trait scores. We were not able to replicate the findings for Agreeableness. We extended the analysis by parameterizing the total EEG signal into its periodic and aperiodic signal components. However, neither component was meaningfully associated with the Big Five personality traits. Our results do not support the initial results and indicate that personality traits may at least not be substantially predictable from resting-state spectral power. Future identification of robust and replicable brain-personality associations will likely require alternative analysis methods and rigorous preregistration of all analysis steps.

Emotions in search of words: Does alexithymia predict treatment outcome in chronic musculoskeletal pain?

Chronic pain, with its complex and multidimensional nature, poses significant challenges in identifying effective long-term treatments. There is growing scientific interest in how psychopathological and personality dimensions may influence the maintenance and development of chronic pain. This longitudinal study aimed to investigate whether alexithymia can predict the improvement of pain severity following a treatment-as-usual programme for chronic musculoskeletal pain over and above psychological cofactors (emotional distress, catastrophizing, and self-efficacy). A consecutive sample of 129 patients with diagnosed chronic musculoskeletal pain referred to two tertiary care centres was recruited and treated for 16 weeks. Clinical pain, psychological distress, self-efficacy, catastrophizing, and alexithymia were assessed with validated self-report measures at the first medical visit (T0) and at 16-week follow-up (T1). Compared with non-responder patients (n = 72, 55.8%), those who responded (i.e., reduction of >30% in pain severity; n = 57, 44.2%) reported an overall improvement in psychological variables except alexithymia. Alexithymia showed relative stability between baseline and follow-up within the entire sample and remained a significant predictor of treatment outcome even when other predictive cofactors (i.e., pain interference, depressive symptoms, and catastrophizing) were considered simultaneously. Our results suggest that identifying patients with a co-occurrence between alexithymia, depressive symptoms, catastrophizing, and the stressful experience of chronic pain can be clinically relevant in pain prevention and intervention programs.

Risk psychosocial factors associated with postpartum depression trajectories from birth to six months

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to assess the trajectory of women's depressive symptoms during the first six months postpartum, identify risk factors (sociodemographic, obstetric and personality) associated with classes, and examine associations between classes and postpartum PTSD at two months and bonding at six months.

METHODS

The final sample included 212 women who gave birth in the maternity wards of a large tertiary health center that were approached at 1-3 days, two months, and six months postpartum and completed a demographic questionnaire and measures of neuroticism (BFI) and postpartum depression (EPDS), postpartum PTSD (City Birth Trauma Scale) and bonding (PBQ). Obstetric data were taken from the medical files.

RESULTS

Cluster analysis revealed three distinctive clusters: "stable-low" (64.2%), "transient-decreasing" (25.9%), and "stable-high" (9.9%). Neuroticism, general-related PTSD symptoms, and bonding were associated with differences between all trajectories. Birth-related PTSD symptoms were associated with differences between both stable-high and transient-decreasing trajectories and the stable-low trajectory. No obstetric or demographic variables were associated with differences between trajectories.

CONCLUSION

We suggest that screening women for vulnerabilities such as high levels of neuroticism and offering treatment can alleviate the possible deleterious effects of high-symptom depression trajectories that may be associated with their vulnerability.

The relationship between entrepreneurial personality patterns linked to risk, innovation and gender across industrial sectors

This study examines the personality patterns of solo founders in both high-tech and non-high-tech sectors during the first seven years of their entrepreneurial journey to emphasize the patterns' implications during policymaking, investment decisions, and self-assessments. IAB/ZEW startup panel microdata for the sector classification of 4470 solo entrepreneurs in Germany were analyzed to identify Big Five trait patterns influenced by risk propensities, innovation inclination, and gender. The entrepreneurial profiles indicate positive openness, emotional resilience, and sector-specific clusters. Conscientiousness suggests flexibility, and while variations in extraversion and agreeableness exist, negative neuroticism was predominantly found, except for gender-related differences and multidimensional service innovators. Big Five traits provide information about important foundational profile patterns to describe unique solo entrepreneur types influenced by risk, innovation, and gender. Originality and value: Risk propensity characterizes 'Adaptive Services,' 'Dynamic Knowledge Innovators,' and 'Strategic Risk Navigators.' Additionally, 'Multidimensional Service Innovators' and 'Focused Tech Innovators' signify innovation understanding. The Big Five profiles show openness and emotional stability across sectors, providing crucial insights for effective entrepreneurial support and investment strategies.

Stability and Change of Individual Differences in Ideal Partner Preferences Over 13 Years

Ideal partner preferences for traits in a partner are said to be stable cognitive constructs. However, longitudinal studies investigating the same participants' ideals repeatedly have so far been limited to relatively short retest intervals of a maximum of 3 years. Here, we investigate the stability and change of ideals across 13 years and participants' insight into how ideals have changed. A total of 204 participants (M = 46.2 years, SD = 7.4, 104 women) reported their ideals at two time points. We found a mean rank-order stability of r = .42 and an overall profile stability of r = .73 (distinctive r = .53). Some ideals changed over time, for example, increased for status-resources in relation to age and parenthood. We found some but varying insight into how ideals had changed (mean r = .20). Results support the idea of ideals being stable cognitive constructs but suggest some variability related to the demands of different life stages.

Personality changes related to presence and treatment of substance use (disorders): a systematic review

Heavy substance use (SU) and substance use disorders (SUD) have complex etiologies and often severe consequences. Certain personality traits have been associated with an increased risk for SU(D), but far less is known about personality changes related to SU(D). This review aims to synthesize the existing literature on this research question. A systematic literature search was conducted from November 2022 to February 2023 in PubMed, EbscoHost, and Web of Science. Peer-reviewed original papers on SU(D)-related personality changes were included. Of 55 included studies, 38 were observational population-based studies and 17 were intervention studies. Overall, personality and SU measures, samples, study designs, and statistical approaches were highly heterogenous. In observational studies, higher SU was most consistently related to increases in impulsivity-related traits and (less so) neuroticism, while interventions in the context of SU(D) were mostly associated with increases in conscientiousness and self-efficacy and lasting decreases in neuroticism. Findings for traits related to extraversion, openness, conscientiousness, and agreeableness were mixed and depended on SU measure and age. Studies on bidirectional associations suggest that personality and SU(D) both influence each other over time. Due to their strong association with SU(D), impulsivity-related traits may be important target points for interventions. Future work may investigate the mechanisms underlying personality changes related to SU(D), distinguishing substance-specific effects from general SU(D)-related processes like withdrawal, craving, and loss of control. Furthermore, more research is needed to examine whether SU(D)-related personality changes vary by developmental stage and clinical features (e.g. initial use, onset, remission, and relapse).

The change of state-trait anxiety among patients undergoing orthognathic surgery: A longitudinal study

INTRODUCTION

This study aimed to assess state-trait anxiety level changes in Chinese patients with dentofacial discrepancies before and after orthognathic surgery and to explore the feasibility of developing a reference index for the preoperative screening of postoperative patients with high anxiety.

METHODS

A total of 96 Chinese patients with dentofacial discrepancies who underwent orthognathic surgery were included in this study. Data were collected before orthognathic surgery and at 2 weeks (T2), 3 months, and 6 months (T4) after surgery using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Receiver operating characteristic and linear regression analyses were performed to screen for preoperative indicators of postoperative high-state anxiety.

RESULTS

State-trait anxiety levels in patients with dentofacial discrepancies decreased after surgery (F = 18.95, P <0.01; F = 6.90, P <0.01). Trait Anxiety Inventory can be used to screen patients with high-state anxiety from T2 to T4 (area under cover 95% confidence interval: T2, 0.74 [0.62-0.86]; 3 months, 0.79 [0.69-0.90]; T4, 0.77 [0.66-0.87], P <0.01), corresponding to cutoff values of 48.5, 46.5, and 45.5, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

All participants' state-trait anxiety levels improved after surgery compared with their preoperative levels. Preoperative trait anxiety levels can be used as a reference indicator to screen patients who may have high-state anxiety levels after orthognathic surgery. The creation of a screening scale will assist health care professionals to more pertinently help patients with high anxiety.

A Comparative Study of the Impact of the Covid-19 Pandemic on Mental Health, Healthcare Access, and Pain Levels of Patients with Chronic Pain from Spring 2020 to Spring 2021

Purpose

The short-term impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on patients with chronic pain has been under the microscope since the beginning of the pandemic. This time-lag design study aimed to track changes in pain levels, access to care, mental health, and well-being of Greek chronic pain patients within the first year of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Patients and Methods

101 and 100 chronic pain patients were contacted during the Spring of 2020 and 2021, respectively. A customized questionnaire was used to evaluate the perceived impact of the pandemic on pain levels and healthcare access. Psychological responses, personality characteristics, and overall well-being were evaluated using the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-42), the Ten-Item Personality Index (TIPI) and the Personal Wellbeing Index (PWI).

Results

The perceived effect of the pandemic and the Covid-related restrictions affected significantly access to healthcare, pain levels and quality of life. Differences were detected in the PWI sub-scales regarding Personal Safety, Sense of Community-Connectedness, Future Security, Spirituality-Religiousness, and General Life Satisfaction. Marital status, parenthood, education and place of residence were associated with differences in pain levels, emotional and psychological responses.

Conclusion

Changes in chronic pain levels, emotional responses, and overall well-being took place throughout the year. Also, an evident shift took place in the care delivery system. Both tendencies disclose an ongoing adaptation process of chronic pain patients and healthcare services that needs further monitoring.

Individual differences in motivation to change in individuals with eating disorders: A systematic review

OBJECTIVE

Motivation to change has been suggested to significantly impact treatment outcomes in eating disorders (EDs). This review will investigate factors associated with motivation to change in EDs with the aim of supporting clinicians to be aware and sensitive to factors that might obstruct recovery and to inform motivation-based interventions.

METHOD

Using PRISMA guidelines, this article identified 24 studies through database searches meeting eligibility criteria. Only correlates of motivation were identified, limiting the ability of this review to identify causal relationships. Factors that changed alongside changes in motivation were identified from longitudinal studies.

RESULTS

This review identified factors such as individual characteristics, co-morbid psychopathology, lack of treatment autonomy and relationships with others to be associated with motivation to change in individuals with EDs. In addition, motivation to change significantly increased alongside self-esteem and identity re-negotiation when measured longitudinally.

DISCUSSION

Motivational interviewing can typically focus on exploring ambivalence to treatment, identifying goals and values, and increasing self-efficacy. However, this review identifies individual and relational factors to be particularly significant and may obstruct recovery from an ED. As such, evidence-based targets have been identified to inform clinicians and motivation-based interventions.

PUBLIC SIGNIFICANCE

Knowledge of factors associated with motivation to change in EDs is important to understand those who may have poorer treatment outcomes. Motivation may be improved by supporting individuals' relationship with others and tailoring interventions according to temperament and personality traits. Utilizing an individual's social support as they enter ED treatment may be effective in maximizing motivation to recover.

Emophilia: psychometric properties of the emotional promiscuity scale and its association with personality traits, unfaithfulness, and romantic relationships in a Scandinavian sample

Emophilia is a suggested stable phenomenon referring to how often and easily an individual falls in love (Jones, 2011). The current study investigated the psychometric properties of the Emotional Promiscuity Scale (EPS, i.e., a measure of emophilia) and its association with personality traits, romantic relationships, and unfaithfulness in a Scandinavian sample. The sample consisted of 2,607 participants, who were recruited through Norwegian and Swedish newspapers. Descriptive analyses of the EPS and a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to verify the previously obtained two-factor structure were conducted. Correlations between emophilia and the Big Five and Dark Triad traits were calculated to investigate the discriminative validity of the EPS. Lastly, negative binomial regression analyses were run in which emophilia comprised the independent variable and the number of romantic relationships and number of times being unfaithful constituted the dependent variables. The EPS had satisfactory internal reliability and the responses to the items were normally distributed. The CFA indicated a two-factor structure, although the two factors correlated highly, justifying collapsing them into one dimension. Emophilia showed satisfactory discriminant validity (r < 00.40) against the personality traits included. Lastly, emophilia was positively associated with the number of romantic relationships and times being unfaithful. Future research should aim to improve our understanding of the psychological and behavioral aspects of emophilia.

Effects of parenting styles on adult personality traits, depressive trait, and brain structure

This study explored the complex triangular relationships between parenting styles, personality traits, and depressive trait in Chinese Han adults (N = 490; Mean age=24.25; 51.0% women), and examined the relationship between parenting styles and brain structure. The data indicated that depressive trait in adulthood were negatively correlated with a favorable parenting style (emotional warmth) and positively correlated with undesirable parenting styles (punishment, rejection, and overprotection/over-intervention). Additionally, depressive trait in adulthood were positively related to neuroticism and psychoticism, and negatively related to extraversion. Using a multiple parallel mediation analysis, we found that neuroticism could be worsened by undesirable parenting styles and ameliorated by favorable parenting styles, and it further mediated the relationship between parenting styles and depressive trait across all models. Psychoticism played a similar role in two models: 1) parental punishment and depressive trait and 2) parental rejection and depressive trait. Extraversion played a mediating role between the father's overprotection and depressive trait. Subgroup analysis showed that different mediating pathways existed between different sexes. In terms of brain structure, we found that gray matter volume of the right inferior frontal gyrus was negatively related to overprotection by the father and positively related to psychoticism. Our findings highlight the importance of parenting style on personality traits, depressive trait, and brain structure over the long term.

Who are you after psychedelics? A systematic review and a meta-analysis of the magnitude of long-term effects of serotonergic psychedelics on cognition/creativity, emotional processing and personality

This systematic review and a meta-analysis synthesised the results from contemporary, randomized and non-randomized controlled studies to assess lasting (one week minimum) changes on cognition/creativity, emotional processing and personality from serotonergic psychedelics. PubMed, Embase and PsycInfo were searched in July 2022. Risk of bias was assessed using Rob 2.0 and ROBINS-I. Ten studies met the eligibility criteria which involved 304 participants. No statistically significant effects were found for the majority outcome measures across the three constructs. A meta-analysis of emotional recognition outcomes found an overall significant effect for faster reaction times in the active treatment groups for disgust (SMD=-0.63, 95% CI=[-1.01 to -0.25], I2 = 65%) and sadness (SMD=-0.45, 95% CI=[-0.85 to -0.06], I2 = 60%). Future research should include larger samples, better control conditions, standardized doses and longer follow-up periods to confirm these preliminary findings.

Personality Trait Change Across a Major Global Stressor

The current research examined three related questions in a 21-month longitudinal study of a diverse sample of U.S. participants (N = 504): (a) How did Big Five traits change during the COVID-19 pandemic? (b) What factors were associated with individual differences in trait change? and (c) How was Big Five trait change associated with downstream well-being, mental health, and physical health? On average, across the 21-month study period, conscientiousness increased slightly, and extraversion decreased slightly. Individual trajectories varied around these average trajectories, and although few factors predicted these individual differences, greater increases in conscientiousness, extraversion, and agreeableness, and greater decreases in neuroticism were associated better well-being and fewer mental and physical health symptoms. The present research provides evidence that traits can change in the context of a major global stressor and that socially desirable patterns of trait change are associated with better health.

The relationship between postpartum negative life events and postpartum depression: a moderated mediation model of neuroticism and psychological flexibility

BACKGROUND

Postpartum depression (PPD) is a major public health problem worldwide. Previous studies have shown that postpartum negative life events and neuroticism are both important risk factors for PPD. However, few studies have considered the role of protective factors in the influence of postpartum negative life events and neuroticism on PPD. Based on the diathesis-stress model and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), a moderated mediating model was established to examine the mediating role of neuroticism between postpartum negative life events and PPD, as well as the moderating role of psychological flexibility in this mediating effect.

METHODS

A sample of 776 parturients from three different Grade A hospitals in China were assessed using the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale, the Postpartum Negative Life Events Scale, the Neuroticism Subscale of the Big Five Personality Scale, and the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire- II.

RESULTS

PPD, postpartum negative life events, neuroticism, and experiential avoidance were significantly positively correlated with one another. Neuroticism partially mediated the relationship between postpartum negative life events and PPD. In this mediation model, the direct path and the second half of the mediation path were moderated by psychological flexibility. Specifically, the links between postpartum negative life events and PPD, as well as between neuroticism and PPD, were stronger when psychological flexibility was low, but weaker when psychological flexibility was high.

CONCLUSIONS

The results show that psychological flexibility plays an important role in buffering the negative effects of postpartum negative life events and neuroticism on PPD. These findings provide implications for the prevention and intervention of PPD using an ACT approach.

Pro-environmental behavior, personality and emotional intelligence in adolescents: a systematic review

Introduction

Human behavior significantly contributes to environmental problems, making the study of pro-environmental behavior an important task for psychology. In this context, it is crucial to understand the pro-environmental behavior of adolescents, as young people play a fundamental role in facilitating long-term changes in environmental consciousness and encouraging decision-makers to take action. However, little is currently known about the pro-environmental behavior of adolescents. Recently, there has been growing interest in examining the influence of personality traits and emotional intelligence on pro-environmental behavior.

Methods

We conducted a systematic review to enhance our understanding of adolescent pro-environmental behavior. Thus, this systematic review was designed to enhance understanding of adolescent's pro-environmental behavior by summarizing existing evidence on how it relates to personality and emotional intelligence.

Results

Our findings suggest associations between specific personality traits and dimensions of emotional intelligence with adolescent pro-environmental behavior, aligning with similar studies conducted on adults.

Discussion

While our findings offer valuable insights, further research is needed to establish causality and deepen our understanding of the interplay between multiple variables influencing pro-environmental behavior among adolescents.

Systematic review registration

[https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42023387836], identifier [CRD42023387836].

The relevance of perceived work environment and work activities for personality trajectories in midlife

OBJECTIVES

Work is an important developmental context in adulthood, yet little is known about how it contributes to personality trajectories in midlife. The present study examines how subjectively perceived work environment (autonomy, innovation, social integration, stress) and objectively measured work activities (activities related to information and people, physical/manual activities) are related to levels of Big Five personality traits at age 44 and to change over 20 years.

METHODS

We analyzed four-wave longitudinal data from N = 374 participants (born 1950-1952; Mage T1 = 44 years, SD = 1; 44% women) from the Interdisciplinary Longitudinal Study of Adult Development and Aging (ILSE) within the structural equation modeling framework.

RESULTS

At baseline, subjective perceptions of work environments showed a higher number of significant associations with personality than objective work activities. Over time, small declines in neuroticism and extraversion and small increases in agreeableness and conscientiousness were observed, which were largely independent of work characteristics.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings show slight changes in most Big Five traits from age 44 to 64, which were mostly unrelated to work characteristics. More research is needed to uncover the sources and dynamics of personality trait change in midlife and the role of work for personality trajectories.

The associations between life events and person-centered personality consistency

OBJECTIVE

Few environments reliably influence mean-level and rank-order changes in personality-perhaps because personality development needs to be examined through an individualized, person-centered lens.

METHODS

The current study used Bayesian multilevel linear models to examine the association between 16 life events and changes in person-centered, Big Five personality consistency across 4 to 10 waves of data using four datasets (N = 24,491).

RESULTS

Selection effects were found for events such as marriage, (un)employment, retirement, and volunteering, whereas between-person effects for slopes were found for events such as beginning formal education, employment, and retirement. Within-person changes were often small and emerged inconsistently across datasets but, when present, were brief and negative in direction, suggesting life events can serve as a short-term disruption to the personality system. However, there were many individual differences around event-related trajectories.

CONCLUSION

Our results highlight that the effects of life events depend on how personality and its changes are quantified-with these findings underscoring the utility of a person-centered approach as it can capture the full range of these idiosyncrasies. Overall, these findings suggest that life events are associated with a range of idiosyncratic effects and can serve as a short-term, destabilizing shock to one's personality system.

Correlated Change Between Personality Traits and Perceived Social Support in Old Age

This study investigated correlated change between the Big Five personality traits and perceived social support in old age. Two data waves with an 8-year span from the Interdisciplinary Longitudinal Study on Adult Development (ILSE) were utilized. The longitudinal sample for this study consisted of 491 older adults (aged 64-68 years at T1). Four different aspects of perceived availability of social support were assessed (emotional support, practical support, social integration, and social strain). The Big Five personality traits were assessed with the Neuroticism-Extraversion-Openness Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI). Results show significant latent concurrent correlations and correlated changes between personality traits and social support. Notably, correlated change with social support types differed depending on the Big Five traits being evaluated, with changes in extraversion, neuroticism, and agreeableness being the traits most associated with changes in social support types, and openness being least associated. Results are discussed through a life span development lens in light of past research.

Explicating narrow and broad conceptualizations of environmental influences on personality

BACKGROUND

A surge of studies aims to identify environmental factors that explain individual differences, personality stability, and personality development. This special issue builds on this large interest and solicited articles on broad and narrow environmental factors of personality.

OBJECTIVE

We provide an overview of the motivations behind the special issue, review each of the articles, and present data on researchers' perceptions of environmental factors contributing to personality expression and development.

METHOD

We review 16 special issue articles, thematically grouped into seven topics-culture and race, genes and environment, geography and habitat, major/minor life events, social relationships, socioeconomic status and economic inequality, and work. We also present data on researchers' (N = 223) responses and ratings of environmental influences on personality expression and development.

RESULTS

In the open-ended responses, the most important environmental influences were family, culture, peers, relationships, and trauma. Among the least important were weather, birth order, geography, climate, and shared environment. Nearly all the environmental influences featured in this special issue were considered at least somewhat important; however, there was considerable heterogeneity in how important researchers found each topic.

CONCLUSIONS

There is no perfect consensus among researchers as to which environmental factors contribute most to personality expression and development. We hope that there is a larger surge of studies on personality constructs beyond traits, that contextualize concepts within a cultural and historical framework and develop more stringent theories to hypothesize about the environmental influences on personality.

A developmental perspective on personality-relationship transactions: Evidence from three nationally representative samples

OBJECTIVE

Throughout their lives, people experience different relationship events, such as beginning or dissolving a romantic relationship. Personality traits predict the occurrence of such relationship events (i.e., selection effects), and relationship events predict changes in personality traits (i.e., socialization effects), summarized as personality-relationship transactions. So far, evidence was partly inconsistent as to how personality traits and relationship events are linked with each other. In this article, we argue that unnoticed age differences might have led to these inconsistencies. To systematically test for age differences in transactions, we conceptualize relationship events in terms of gains and losses and apply a developmental perspective on transactions.

METHODS

Using longitudinal data from three nationally representative samples (SOEP, HILDA, Understanding Society), we computed event-focused latent growth models and summarized the results meta-analytically.

RESULTS

The findings indicated some transactions. Of these, selection effects were stronger than socialization effects, and effects of gain-based events were stronger than effects of loss-based events. We observed few interactions with age.

CONCLUSION

Selection effects and, particularly, socialization effects, tend to be rare and fairly independent of age. We discuss a series of broader and narrower factors that may have an impact on the strength of transactions across adulthood.

Examining the impact of major life events on the frequency and experience of daily social events

OBJECTIVE

Life events can impact people's dispositional functioning by changing their state-level patterns of thoughts, feelings, and behavior. One pathway through which this change may be facilitated is changes in the experience of daily social events.

METHOD

We examined the dynamic relationship between major life events and the subsequent experience of positive and negative daily social events in a year-long longitudinal study (initial N = 1247).

RESULTS

Experiencing positive and negative major life events moderated the effects of positive and negative social events on event-contingent state well-being and ill-being in ways that were mostly (but not always) consistent with both endowment and contrast effects on judgments of well-being. Furthermore, negative life events predicted an increase in the subsequent trajectory of negative social events, while the experience of daily ill-being predicted the subsequent experience of negative social events.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings highlight the possible impact of major life events by explaining how they shape the subsequent experience of daily social events.

The effects of socioeconomic status on personality development in adulthood and aging

INTRO

The current study examined the effects of adulthood socioeconomic status (SES) on levels of and changes in the Big Five personality traits domains and nuances in adulthood and during aging. We also tested whether the relations between adulthood SES and personality traits differed by childhood SES and age.

METHODS

Data were drawn from three longitudinal studies: the Swedish Adoption/Twin Study of Aging (SATSA, N = 2000), the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS, N = 6428), and the Health and Retirement Study (HRS, N = 23,238).

RESULTS

Using the latent growth models, across samples, we found associations between high SES and low levels of neuroticism and high levels of extraversion, openness, and conscientiousness. The effects of SES on changes in personality traits were mainly observed in the aging sample of HRS. In general, a similar pattern was observed at the nuance level. Analyses of the moderating effects of age suggested some evidence for the increasingly important role of SES in levels of and changes in personality traits in older ages.

CONCLUSION

The findings support SES as a source that partially accounts for individual differences in personality traits level. Some evidence was found for the relations between SES and changes in personality traits in old age.

Life events sometimes alter the trajectory of personality development: Effect sizes for 25 life events estimated using a large, frequently assessed sample

OBJECTIVE

Personality changes across the life span. Life events, such as marriage, becoming a parent, and retirement, have been proposed as facilitating personality growth via the adoption of novel social roles. However, empirical evidence linking life events with personality development is sparse. Most studies have relied on few assessments separated by long time intervals and have focused on a single life event. In contrast, the content of life is composed of small, recurrent experiences (e.g., getting sick or practicing a hobby), with relatively few major events (e.g., childbirth). Small, frequently experienced life events may play an important and overlooked role in personality development.

METHOD

The present study examined the extent to which 25 major and minor life events alter the trajectory of personality development in a large, frequently assessed sample (Nsample  = 4904, Nassessments  = 47,814, median retest interval = 35 days).

RESULTS

Using a flexible analytic strategy to accommodate the repeated occurrence of life events, we found that the trajectory of personality development shifted in response to a single occurrence of some major life events (e.g., divorce), and recurrent, "minor" life experiences (e.g., one's partner doing something special).

CONCLUSION

Both stark role changes and frequently reinforced minor experiences can lead to personality change.

Job characteristics and personality change in young adulthood: A 12-year longitudinal study and replication

OBJECTIVE

Personality changes are related to successfully performing adult occupational roles which require teamwork, duty, and managing stress. However, it is unclear how personality development relates to specific job characteristics that vary across occupations.

METHOD

We investigated whether 151 objective job characteristics, derived from the Occupational Information Network (O*NET), were associated with personality levels and changes in a 12-year longitudinal sample followed over the school to work transition. Using cross-validated regularized modeling, we combined two Icelandic longitudinal datasets (total N = 1054) and constructed an individual-level, aggregated job characteristics score that maximized prediction of personality levels at baseline and change over time.

RESULTS

The strongest association was found for level of openness (0.25), followed by conscientiousness (0.16) and extraversion (0.14). Overall, aggregated job characteristics had a stronger prediction for personality intercepts (0.14) than slopes (0.10). These results were subsequently replicated in a U.S. sample using levels of the Big Five as the dependent variable. This indicates that associations between job characteristics and personality are generalizable across life stages and nations.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that job titles are a valuable resource that can be linked to personality to better understand factors that influence psychological development. Further work is needed to document the prospective validity of job characteristics across a wider range of occupations and age.

Personality maturation through sense of mastery? Longitudinal evidence from two education-to-work transition studies

OBJECTIVE

Why personality changes in young adulthood remains a critical theoretical and empirical question. We studied personality change during the education-to-work transition, including mean-level personality change and its specific timing, the degree of individual variability in change, and the link between sense of mastery and personality change.

METHODS

We used two intensive longitudinal studies. Study 1 included 5 waves of data across 2 years during the university-to-work transition (N = 309; mean-aged 25). Study 2 included 3 waves of data across 8 months during an internship-heavy teacher education program (N = 317; mean-aged 22). We measured personality traits and work-related mastery with questionnaires and personality states and general mastery with the experience sampling method.

RESULTS

First, we found no evidence for mean-level personality maturation but decreases in trait Conscientiousness. Second, young adults differed significantly in personality trait and state change. Third, young adults with higher levels of work-related sense of mastery showed more positive changes in trait Conscientiousness. Decreases in general sense of mastery predicted later decreases in state Emotional Stability and vice versa. Change in general sense of mastery correlated with personality state change.

CONCLUSIONS

Sense of mastery seems to be part of a dynamic short-term process underlying personality change in young adulthood.

Social expectations as a possible mechanism for adult personality change: Limited empirical evidence for the social investment principle

OBJECTIVE

Personality traits change in both mean levels and variance across the life span but the mechanisms underlying these developmental trends remain unclear. Social Investment Principle (SIP) suggests that social expectations drive personality changes in adulthood. Accordingly, we tested whether differences between personality traits in social expectations for them can explain their different change trajectories in young adulthood.

METHODS

A pool of 257 personality items was used to measure personality traits' means and variances (N = 1096), and levels expected by friends, partners and bosses/supervisors (N = 121).

RESULTS

Raters were consistent in their expectations for how young adults should think, feel and behave. Traits under stronger expectations had higher mean levels and lower variances than traits under lower expectations; trait means and variances increased with age, but inconsistently with the SIP, these increases were unrelated to the traits' expected levels.

CONCLUSION

Our results are only partially consistent with the SIP.

Exploring the mediating effect of personality traits in the relationship between entrepreneurial intentions and academic performance among students

This study explores the mediating effect of personality traits in the relationship between entrepreneurial intentions and student academic performance. The sample comprised 175 students from a top-ranked Tamil Nadu, India university. Data was collected using a survey questionnaire as the research instrument. A descriptive research design was employed to understand the variables under investigation comprehensively. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) and SPSS v25 was utilized as the statistical analysis tool. This study used the Theory of Planned Behaviour as a theoretical framework to explore the mediating effect of personality traits in the relationship between entrepreneurial intentions and academic performance among university students. The study's findings revealed essential insights into the relationship between entrepreneurial intentions, personality traits, and academic performance. The results showed that personality traits significantly mediate the relationship between entrepreneurial intentions and academic performance. This finding suggests that a student's personality traits influence the impact of entrepreneurial intentions on academic performance. Furthermore, the study found that while entrepreneurial intentions did not have a significant direct effect on academic performance, they did have a substantial indirect effect through personality traits. This indicates that personality traits act as a crucial mechanism through which entrepreneurial intentions can influence academic performance among students.

High neuroticism is associated with common late adverse effects in a nationwide sample of long-term breast cancer survivors

PURPOSE

Neuroticism is a basic personality trait characterized by negative emotions triggered by stress such as a breast cancer diagnosis and its treatment. Due to lack of relevant research, the purpose of this study was to examine if high neuroticism is associated with seven common late adverse effects (LAEs) in long-term (≥ 5 years) breast cancer survivors (BCSs).

METHODS

All female Norwegian BCSs aged 20-65 years when diagnosed with stage I-III breast cancer in 2011 or 2012 were invited to a questionnaire study in 2019 (N = 2803), of whom 48% participated (N = 1355). Neuroticism was self-rated using the abridged version of the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire, and scores dichotomized into high and low neuroticism. LAEs were defined by categorization of ratings on the EORTC QLQ-C30 (cognitive function, pain, and sleep problems) and QLQ-BR23 (arm problems) questionnaires, and categorizations of scale scores on mental distress, fatigue, and neuropathy. Associations between high neuroticism and LAEs were explored using multivariate logistic regression analyses.

RESULTS

High neuroticism was found in 40% (95%CI 37-42%) of BCSs. All LAEs were significantly more common among BCSs with high compared to low neuroticism. In multivariable analyses, high neuroticism was positively associated with all LAEs except neuropathy. Systemic treatment, somatic comorbidity, and not being in paid work were also significantly associated with all LAEs.

CONCLUSIONS

High neuroticism is prevalent and associated with increased risks of LAEs among BCSs. Identification of high neuroticism could improve the follow-up care of BCSs as effective interventions for the condition exist.

Beyond Big Five trait domains: Stability and change in personality facets across midlife and old age

OBJECTIVE

Accumulated evidence indicates both stable and malleable parts of inter-individual differences in the broad Big Five domains. Less is known, however, about stability and change at the more diversified facet level. With the current study, we fill this gap by investigating personality stability and change across midlife and old age.

METHOD

We apply local structural equation measurement models and second-order growth curve models to four waves of data obtained with the full NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI-R) collected over 11 years from 1667 adults (Mage  = 62.69 years, SDage  = 15.62, 55% female) who participated in the Seattle Longitudinal Study.

RESULTS

Measurement invariance analyses indicated that the psychometric properties of the NEO-PI-R facets are comparable across time and age. Results revealed substantial rank-order stabilities across all facets, yet the exact pattern varied strongly between facets of the same trait and across traits. Mean-level change of facets from midlife to old age largely mirrored the mean-level change observed for the broader traits.

CONCLUSION

We discuss conceptual implications and argue that in the face of overall stability across midlife and old age, changes in the rank-ordering of people reveals a much more complex and diverse pattern of development than analyses at the trait level suggest.

Do students' personality traits change during medical training? A longitudinal cohort study

Many medical schools incorporate assessments of personal characteristics, including personality traits, in their selection process. However, little is known about whether changes in personality traits during medical training affect the predictive validity of personality assessments. The present study addressed this issue by examining the stability of personality traits and their predictive validity over a 6-year medical training course. Participants were two cohorts of Swiss medical students (N = 272, 72% of students admitted to Year 2) from whom we collected demographic data, Swiss medical studies aptitude test (EMS) scores, Big Five personality traits scores measured at three times and scores on the multiple-choice and objective structured clinical examination parts of the final medical examination. Our findings indicated that personality traits had medium-to-high rank-order stability (r > .60 over 3 years and r > .50 over 6 years). Mean-level changes were moderate for agreeableness (d = + 0.72) and small for neuroticism and conscientiousness (d = -0.29, d = -0.25, respectively). Individual reliable change indices ranged from 4.5% for openness to 23.8% for neuroticism. The predictive validity was similar to that of the first three years of follow-up. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate changes in personality across undergraduate curriculum. Medical students' personality traits were mostly stable across medical school and retain their predictive validity. Consequently, this study supports the use of tools measuring constructs underlying personality traits in selection. In addition, this study confirms that examination formats could favor students with certain personality traits.

A person-centered approach to resilience and vulnerability in emerging adulthood: Predictions from parenting and personality in adolescence

In this person-centered study, we identified different profiles of resilience and vulnerability in emerging adulthood in response to previously experienced stressful life events. Additionally, we examined whether mothers' and fathers' parenting and participants' personality traits in adolescence predicted these profiles. Data from the Flemish Study on Parenting, Personality, and Development (N = 346 families) were used. At T1 (2004; Mage = 11 years), T2 (2007), and T3 (2009), mothers and fathers reported on their parenting and their child's personality. At T4 (2018; Mage = 25 years), emerging adults retrospectively self-reported the occurrence and impact of 22 stressful life events and rated current behavior problems and subjective well-being. Latent profile analysis revealed three profiles: Competent (71%; low stress, low behavior problems, high subjective well-being), Vulnerable (21%; average stress, high behavior problems, low subjective well-being), and Resilient (9%; high stress, average behavior problems, average subjective well-being). Emerging adults in the Resilient profile had experienced higher levels of maternal positive parenting and were less emotionally stable and conscientious than those in the Competent profile. Furthermore, emerging adults in the Vulnerable profile were less emotionally stable than their peers in the Competent profile. These findings reveal new insights into the heterogeneous patterns of emerging adults' adaptation following stressful life events.

Illusory posttraumatic growth is common, but genuine posttraumatic growth is rare: A critical review and suggestions for a path forward

Over the last 2.5 decades, trauma researchers have increasingly become interested in posttraumatic growth (PTG) - the concept that some people experience growth as a result of trauma exposure. I begin by reviewing extant research on PTG, with a focus on measurement and conceptual issues. Expanding on arguments made by others, I distinguish between three forms of PTG, 1) perceived PTG, which is an individual's beliefs about their own PTG, 2) genuine PTG, which is veridical growth following adversity, and 3) illusory PTG, which is motivated fabrications of PTG. Perceived PTG is extremely common, as over half of individuals exposed to a potentially traumatic event (PTE) report moderate or greater levels of PTG. I review evidence that most self-reports of PTG are greatly exaggerated and argue that perceived PTG is mostly illusory PTG. I propose five reasons for the disconnect between perceived PTG and genuine PTG, including design flaws in the current measurements, emotional biases that favor perceived PTG, the inherent appeal of PTG, cultural expectations, and problems of definition. I then review the empirical evidence concerning the prevalence rate of genuine PTG, coming to the bold conclusion that the occurrence of genuine PTG is very rare, contradicting current fundamental beliefs about PTG. I recommend researchers focus on the key areas of measurement and etiology of genuine PTG, which are necessary to create interventions that foster genuine PTG. I conclude by outlining a path to steer the scientific progression of PTG back in the right direction.

Health literacy across personality traits among older adults: cross-sectional evidence from Switzerland

This research aims to better understand the association of personality traits (PT)-Openness to Experience, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism-with health literacy (HL) skills of adults aged 58 years and older in a nationally representative sample from Switzerland. Analyses were conducted on a subsample (n = 1546) of respondents living in Switzerland from wave 8 (2019/2020) of the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). PT were assessed with the Big-Five inventory ten (BFI-10). HL was measured using the short version of the European Health Literacy Survey questionnaire (HLS-EU-Q16). We used multivariable regressions to explore how respondents' PT are independently associated with (1) the HLS-EU-Q16 and (2) seven sub-indices derived from this HL scale. Results demonstrated that even when controlling for social, regional, and health characteristics, PT were significantly associated with HL among older adults in Switzerland. More open individuals showed better HL competencies. By contrast, individuals who scored higher on neuroticism expressed more difficulties regarding concrete health-relevant tasks or situations. These findings call for public health policies targeting older adults with lower levels of openness who are less likely to engage in self-examination, and individuals with higher levels of neuroticism who tend to experience more negative emotions. Moreover, health information and communication strategies content development that accounts for different personality types and addresses the needs of individuals with low levels of openness and high neuroticism may help improve HL among older adults whose personalities may otherwise put them at a disadvantage in handling health information.

Prevalence and therapeutic impact of adverse life event reexperiencing under ceremonial ayahuasca

The present study examined the safety and efficacy of the ceremonial use of ayahuasca in relation to reports of heightened life event reexperiencing under psychedelics. The study examined (1) the prevalence of specific types of adverse life event reexperiencing, (2) characteristics predictive of reexperiencing, (3) the psychological character of reexperiencing, and (4) the impact of reexperiencing on mental health. Participants were recruited from three ayahuasca healing and spiritual centers in South and Central America (N = 33 military veterans, 306 non-veterans) using self-report data at three timepoints (Pre-retreat, Post-retreat, 3-months post-retreat). Reexperiencing adverse life events under ayahuasca was common, with women showing particularly high probability of reexperiencing sexual assault, veterans reexperiencing combat-related trauma, and individuals with a self-reported lifetime diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder exhibiting a substantively higher prevalence of reexperiencing. Reexperiencing was associated with states of cognitive reappraisal, psychological flexibility, and discomfort during ceremonies, and participants who reexperienced adverse life events exhibited greater reductions in trait neuroticism following their ceremonies. Clinical implications of these results for the application of psychedelics to mood and stress disorders are discussed.

Late Onset Personality Disorders in Mid-Life and Older Adults

There is little research on personality disorder (PD) onset in older age. Many studies have shown that normative personality traits change across the life span, even into later life. This study aimed to investigate the onset of PDs in later adulthood (>age 55), and the possible influence of major life events on predicting this late onset. The current analysis was conducted with data from the St. Louis Personality and Aging Network (SPAN). Structured diagnostic interviews were administered three times over five years. Logistic regressions were conducted predicting late onset PD from baseline to FU5 and from FU5 to FU10 as a function of each major life event. 75 PD onsets occurred from baseline to FU5, and 39 PD onsets occurred from FU5 to FU10. Personal illness predicted the onset of PDs from FU5 to FU10.

How personality influences health outcomes and quality of life in adult patients with cystic fibrosis

BACKGROUND

The present study evaluates personality traits in adult patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) and correlates these results with health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and other clinical parameters indicative of disease severity.

METHODS

Seventy adults completed the Cystic Fibrosis Questionnaire-Revised (CFQ-R 14+), a CF-specific measure of HRQoL, and a self-administered questionnaire about personality traits and disorders. Mean subscale scores and the prevalence of extreme personality traits on the `Persönlichkeits-Stil- und Störungs-Inventar (PSSI)´ were compared to the norming sample. Moreover, a cluster analysis was conducted to identify personality styles among people with cystic fibrosis (pwCF). The relationship between mean PSSI subscale scores and personality clusters with HRQoL and clinical outcomes, e.g., percent predicted forced expiratory volume in one second (ppFEV1), and body mass index (BMI), was studied by regression analysis considering important confounders.

RESULTS

On several of the subscales of the personality questionnaire, people with cystic fibrosis (pwCF) showed either significantly higher or lower scores than the norm sample. In further analyses, two personality clusters could be identified. PwCF from the cluster with predominantly low scores on the subscales 'negativistic', 'schizoid', 'borderline', 'depressed', and 'paranoid' showed better HRQoL than pwCF from the other cluster with mainly high normal or elevated scores. The studied health outcomes proved to be independent of the respective personality clusters.

CONCLUSIONS

In pwCF, HRQoL is mainly determined by psychological factors, including personality. Since more recent personality theories assume that personality is modifiable, our findings imply that patients with accentuated personality traits may benefit from psychosocial support.

Breed, age, and social environment are associated with personality traits in dogs

Personality in pets and other domesticated animals is important for their well-being and it can also influence human-animal relationships. Genetic and environmental factors influencing unwanted behavior in dogs are somewhat well known, but the factors influencing dog personality remain understudied. Here we examined environmental and demographic factors associated with seven broad personality traits in a survey of over 11,000 dogs. We utilized linear models and extensive model validation to examine the factors that have the most significant influences on personality and calculated effect sizes to assess the importance of these variables. Breed and age had the strongest associations with dog personality traits. Some environmental factors, especially puppyhood socialization, were also associated with personality. All factors had small effect sizes, highlighting that a lot of variation in personality remains unexplained. Our results indicate that personality traits are complex and strikingly similar in dogs, humans, and other nonhuman animals.

Founder personality and entrepreneurial outcomes: A large-scale field study of technology startups

Technology startups play an essential role in the economy-with seven of the ten largest companies rooted in technology, and venture capital investments totaling approximately $300B annually. Yet, important startup outcomes (e.g., whether a startup raises venture capital or gets acquired) remain difficult to forecast-particularly during the early stages of venture formation. Here, we examine the impact of an essential, yet underexplored, factor that can be observed from the moment of startup creation: founder personality. We predict psychological traits from digital footprints to explore how founder personality is associated with critical startup milestones. Observing 10,541 founder-startup dyads, we provide large-scale, ecologically valid evidence that founder personality is associated with outcomes across all phases of a venture's life (i.e., from raising the earliest funding round to exiting via acquisition or initial public offering). We find that openness and agreeableness are positively related to the likelihood of raising an initial round of funding (but unrelated to all subsequent conditional outcomes). Neuroticism is negatively related to all outcomes, highlighting the importance of founders' resilience. Finally, conscientiousness is positively related to early-stage investment, but negatively related to exit conditional on funding. While prior work has painted conscientiousness as a major benefactor of performance, our findings highlight a potential boundary condition: The fast-moving world of technology startups affords founders with lower or moderate levels of conscientiousness a competitive advantage when it comes to monetizing their business via acquisition or IPO.

Events-Affect-Personality: A Daily Diary Investigation of the Mediating Effects of Affect on the Events-Personality Relationship

Our 10-day diary investigation anchored in dynamic personality theories, such as Whole Trait Theory examined (a) whether within-person variability in two broad personality traits Extraversion and Neuroticism is consistently predicted by daily events, (b) whether positive and negative affect, respectively partly mediate this relationship and (c) the lagged relationships between events, and next day variations in affect and personality. Results revealed that personality exhibited significant within-person variability, that positive and negative affect partly mediate the relationship between events and personality, affect accounting for up to 60% of the effects of events on personality. Additionally, we identified that event-affect congruency was accountable for larger effects compared to event-affect non-congruency.

Four types of change and self-other agreement on change in personality traits during college years: A multi-informant longitudinal study

Research in personality trait change has largely relied on mean-level and rank-order change across the lifespan. The current research expanded the literature in several ways: analyzing four types of change and correlated change patterns, obtaining multi-informant reports, including lower-order personality traits, and collecting multiple assessments during a short yet important time for college-attending emerging adults (baseline N = 259, M_age  = 18.79). There was little evidence for mean-level change, yet participants showed significant individual differences such that rank-ordering and ipsative profiles were much more dynamic than mean score patterns. Informant-reports from close others demonstrated largely similar patterns: little to no mean-level change, significant increase in rank-ordering, and about half of participants reporting configural change mostly in elevation and scatter rather than in profile shapes. Interestingly, there was no correlated change between self and other-reports. This indicated that close others do not share individuals' perception of their own personality trait change, at least not in the demographic group studied. By examining individual-level, sample-level, and multi-informant perspectives, our thorough investigation provided useful benchmarks for future research to examine the source of variability in change trajectories.

Longitudinal bidirectional associations between personality and becoming a leader

OBJECTIVE

Leaders differ in their personalities from non-leaders. However, when do these differences emerge? Are leaders "born to be leaders" or does their personality change in preparation for a leadership role and due to increasing leadership experience?

METHOD

Using data from the German Socio-Economic Panel Study, we examined personality differences between leaders (N = 2683 leaders, women: n = 967; 36.04%) and non-leaders (N = 33,663) as well as personality changes before and after becoming a leader.

RESULTS

Already in the years before starting a leadership position, leaders-to-be were more extraverted, open, emotionally stable, conscientious, and willing to take risks, felt to have greater control, and trusted others more than non-leaders. Moreover, personality changed in emergent leaders: While approaching a leadership position, leaders-to-be (especially men) became gradually more extraverted, open, and willing to take risks and felt to have more control over their life. After becoming a leader, they became less extraverted, less willing to take risks, and less conscientious but gained self-esteem.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that people are not simply "born to be leaders" but that their personalities change considerably in preparation for a leadership role and due to leadership experience. Some changes are transient, but others last for a long time.

Individual differences and personality traits across situations

BACKGROUND

According to the Big Five theory, personality can be classified into five traits (i.e., extraversion, neuroticism, conscientiousness, agreeableness, and openness), and past research showed that situations impact personality. In the present study, (1) we measured which of these five personality traits changed according to different situations and (2) tested whether the across-situation variability (ASV; i.e., a continuous variable showing how much people change their personality traits according to situations) was significantly connected with specific personality domains, revealing a potential marker of personality disturbance.

PARTICIPANTS AND PROCEDURE

We recruited 80 participants (40 women) to complete the five situation-version (family, work, friends, romantic partner, and hobbies/leisure) of the Big Five Inventory to measure whether personality traits significantly changed across these situations. In addition, we ran a network analysis to reveal how the ASV is related to personality traits.

RESULTS

The findings showed that all traits significantly changed across the situations, except openness, which remained stable. The network analysis revealed that the ASV variable was especially connected with conscientiousness (in romantic partner and family situations).

CONCLUSIONS

Most personality traits were flexible, showing how important it is to consider the role of situations in the study of personality. Openness appeared to be particularly stable and understanding its nature represents a challenge for future studies. Finally, the network analysis demonstrated that the ASV shows specific connections with conscientiousness and might be a potential psychopathology marker.

The Relationship between Traumatic Life Events and Polysubstance Use: Examining the Mediating Role of DSM-5 Level of Personality Functioning and Maladaptive Personality Traits

The experience of traumatic events in childhood is an important risk factor for the initiation and continuation of polysubstance use. This study aimed to examine the mediating role of DSM-5 level of personality functioning and maladaptive personality traits in the relationship between traumatic life events and polysubstance use. We used a mixed sample (N = 290; M_age = 40; SD_age = 12.26; 75.2% males) of patients with substance use disorder (SUD; including 90 mono-drug users and 113 polysubstance users) and non-users (including 87 university students) recruited using convenience sampling method from harm reduction-oriented drug treatment centers and universities respectively in Tehran, Iran. Participants completed the Level of Personality Functioning Scale-Brief Form, the Personality Inventory for DSM 5-Brief Form, and the Life Events Checklist-Revised. The results of structural equation modeling showed that DSM-5 level of personality functioning and maladaptive personality traits partially mediated the relationship between traumatic life events and polysubstance use. Experiencing traumatic events may contribute to the risk of polysubstance use through the effect of global personality dysfunction and specific personality traits. This proposed mediational model must be replicated using a longitudinal design across different populations.

The Lübeck Medication Satisfaction Questionnaire—A Novel Measurement Tool for Therapy Satisfaction

Background: Therapy satisfaction is widely considered an important aspect of clinical care. Still, there are currently no freely available questionnaires for its measurement. We developed the Lübeck Medication Satisfaction Questionnaire (LMSQ) for that purpose. Here, we present its content and psychometric properties. Methods: The LMSQ was validated on 86 patients in a single center study. The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin test, confirmatory factor analysis, covariance analysis, and a test of exact fit were performed. Reliability was tested using Cronbach’s α and McDonald’s ω. The relationship to other patient-reported outcomes was tested using Pearson’s correlation. Results: Confirmatory factors analysis yielded moderate factor loadings with p < 0.001 in all subscales. Reliability was adequate (α = 0.857 and ω = 0.872). Model fitness was excellent in all tests. The LMSQ was positively correlated with medication adherence (r = 0.603, p < 0.001) and most dimensions of health literacy. Conclusions: The LMSQ possesses adequate psychometric properties for its purpose. We recommend further validation in a more diverse patient collective.

Linking the Momentary Processing of Injustice to Intraindividual Change in Dispositional Victim Sensitivity

We investigated how the dispositional sensitivity to becoming the victim of injustice (victim sensitivity) is linked to the momentary processing of injustice and how such processes predict dispositional change. In two samples ( N = 149, N = 513), we combined four dispositional assessments across students’ first year at university, with intensive assessments given on a weekly (Study 1) or daily (Study 2) basis at the beginning of the first semester. We assessed how frequently injustice from a victim perspective was perceived and ruminated about (Studies 1 and 2), and how intensely anger was experienced in reaction (Study 2). These indicators of momentary processes were tested as correlates of baseline victim sensitivity and as predictors of dispositional change. The intensity of anger reactions predicted dispositional change in victim sensitivity after 4 months, but not earlier or later, and did not generalize to predict change in neuroticism. These findings are in line with recent theorizing about personality development, emphasizing the relevance of patterns of momentary processes for understanding dispositional change.