Associations of Personality Trait Level and Change With Mortality Risk in 11 Longitudinal Studies

Emily C. Willroth; Emorie Beck; Tomiko B. Yoneda; Christopher R. Beam; Ian J. Deary; Johanna Drewelies; Denis Gerstorf; Martijn Huisman; Mindy J. Katz; Richard B. Lipton; Graciela Muniz Tererra; Nancy L. Pedersen; Chandra A. Reynolds; Avron Spiro; Nicholas A. Turiano; Sherry Willis; Daniel K. Mroczek; Eileen K. Graham

doi:10.1037/pspp0000531

Associations of Personality Trait Level and Change With Mortality Risk in 11 Longitudinal Studies

Emily C. Willroth^*, Emorie Beck, Tomiko B. Yoneda, Christopher R. Beam, Ian J. Deary, Johanna Drewelies, Denis Gerstorf, Martijn Huisman, Mindy J. Katz, Richard B. Lipton, Graciela Muniz Tererra, Nancy L. Pedersen, Chandra A. Reynolds, Avron Spiro, Nicholas A. Turiano, Sherry Willis, Daniel K. Mroczek, Eileen K. Graham

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

People who are higher in conscientiousness, extraversion, and agreeableness and lower in neuroticism tend to live longer. The present research tested the hypothesis that personality trait change in middle and older adulthood would also be associated with mortality risk, above and beyond personality trait level. Personality trait change may causally influence mortality risk through corresponding changes in health behaviors, social processes, and stress experience. Alternatively, personality trait change may be a marker of successful or unsuccessful adaptation to life circumstances, which in turn influences mortality risk, or shared risk factors may impact personality trait change and mortality risk. In the latter case, personality trait change may serve as a “psychosocial vital sign” pointing toward increased risk. In 11 samples of middle-aged and older adults (combined N = 32,348), we used multilevel growth curve models to estimate personality trait level and personality trait change across three to 11 measurement occasions spanning 6–43 years. Next, we used Cox proportional hazards models to test whether personality trait level and personality trait change were associated with mortality risk. Higher conscientiousness (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.83), extraversion (HR = 0.93), and agreeableness (HR = 0.88) were associated with longer survival while higher neuroticism was associated with shorter survival (HR = 1.22). In contrast to personality trait level, we found limited evidence for associations between personality trait change and mortality risk. We discuss conceptual and methodological implications of the present findings that may guide future research on associations between personality trait change, health, and mortality.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	392-409
Number of pages	18
Journal	Journal of personality and social psychology
Volume	128
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1037/pspp0000531
State	Published - Jan 13 2025

Funding

This work is supported by National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Grants R01AG018436 and R01AG067622, awarded to Daniel K. Mroczek. The Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam is supported by a grant from the Netherlands Ministry of Health Welfare and Sports, Directorate of Long-Term Care. Publicly available data from the Midlife in the United States study were used for this research. Since 1995, the Midlife in the United States study has been funded by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Research Network and the National Institute on Aging Grants P01-AG020166 and U19-AG051426. The Lothian Birth Cohort work was supported by the Age U.K. Disconnected Mind Grant and by the U.K. Medical Research Council Grants G0700704/84698 and MR/K026992/1. The Veteran Affairs Normative Aging Study is a research component of Massachusetts Veterans Epidemiology Research and Information Collaborative and is supported by the Veteran Affairs Cooperative Studies Program/Epidemiologic Research Centers, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The Einstein Aging Study is supported by the National Institute onAging GrantAG03949; the Leonard and Sylvia Marx Foundation; and the Czap Foundation.

Keywords

Big Five
coordinated data analysis
mortality
personality change
personality development

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Social Psychology
Sociology and Political Science

Access to Document

10.1037/pspp0000531

Cite this

Willroth, E. C., Beck, E., Yoneda, T. B., Beam, C. R., Deary, I. J., Drewelies, J., Gerstorf, D., Huisman, M., Katz, M. J., Lipton, R. B., Tererra, G. M., Pedersen, N. L., Reynolds, C. A., Spiro, A., Turiano, N. A., Willis, S., Mroczek, D. K., & Graham, E. K. (2025). Associations of Personality Trait Level and Change With Mortality Risk in 11 Longitudinal Studies. Journal of personality and social psychology, 128(2), 392-409. https://doi.org/10.1037/pspp0000531

@article{383e1e5e2934427e9c0f48a16da79f9d,

title = "Associations of Personality Trait Level and Change With Mortality Risk in 11 Longitudinal Studies",

abstract = "People who are higher in conscientiousness, extraversion, and agreeableness and lower in neuroticism tend to live longer. The present research tested the hypothesis that personality trait change in middle and older adulthood would also be associated with mortality risk, above and beyond personality trait level. Personality trait change may causally influence mortality risk through corresponding changes in health behaviors, social processes, and stress experience. Alternatively, personality trait change may be a marker of successful or unsuccessful adaptation to life circumstances, which in turn influences mortality risk, or shared risk factors may impact personality trait change and mortality risk. In the latter case, personality trait change may serve as a “psychosocial vital sign” pointing toward increased risk. In 11 samples of middle-aged and older adults (combined N = 32,348), we used multilevel growth curve models to estimate personality trait level and personality trait change across three to 11 measurement occasions spanning 6–43 years. Next, we used Cox proportional hazards models to test whether personality trait level and personality trait change were associated with mortality risk. Higher conscientiousness (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.83), extraversion (HR = 0.93), and agreeableness (HR = 0.88) were associated with longer survival while higher neuroticism was associated with shorter survival (HR = 1.22). In contrast to personality trait level, we found limited evidence for associations between personality trait change and mortality risk. We discuss conceptual and methodological implications of the present findings that may guide future research on associations between personality trait change, health, and mortality.",

keywords = "Big Five, coordinated data analysis, mortality, personality change, personality development",

author = "Willroth, {Emily C.} and Emorie Beck and Yoneda, {Tomiko B.} and Beam, {Christopher R.} and Deary, {Ian J.} and Johanna Drewelies and Denis Gerstorf and Martijn Huisman and Katz, {Mindy J.} and Lipton, {Richard B.} and Tererra, {Graciela Muniz} and Pedersen, {Nancy L.} and Reynolds, {Chandra A.} and Avron Spiro and Turiano, {Nicholas A.} and Sherry Willis and Mroczek, {Daniel K.} and Graham, {Eileen K.}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2025 American Psychological Association",

year = "2025",

month = jan,

day = "13",

doi = "10.1037/pspp0000531",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "128",

pages = "392--409",

journal = "Journal of personality and social psychology",

issn = "0022-3514",

publisher = "American Psychological Association",

number = "2",

}

Willroth, EC, Beck, E, Yoneda, TB, Beam, CR, Deary, IJ, Drewelies, J, Gerstorf, D, Huisman, M, Katz, MJ, Lipton, RB, Tererra, GM, Pedersen, NL, Reynolds, CA, Spiro, A, Turiano, NA, Willis, S, Mroczek, DK & Graham, EK 2025, 'Associations of Personality Trait Level and Change With Mortality Risk in 11 Longitudinal Studies', Journal of personality and social psychology, vol. 128, no. 2, pp. 392-409. https://doi.org/10.1037/pspp0000531

TY - JOUR

T1 - Associations of Personality Trait Level and Change With Mortality Risk in 11 Longitudinal Studies

AU - Willroth, Emily C.

AU - Beck, Emorie

AU - Yoneda, Tomiko B.

AU - Beam, Christopher R.

AU - Deary, Ian J.

AU - Drewelies, Johanna

AU - Gerstorf, Denis

AU - Huisman, Martijn

AU - Katz, Mindy J.

AU - Lipton, Richard B.

AU - Tererra, Graciela Muniz

AU - Pedersen, Nancy L.

AU - Reynolds, Chandra A.

AU - Spiro, Avron

AU - Turiano, Nicholas A.

AU - Willis, Sherry

AU - Mroczek, Daniel K.

AU - Graham, Eileen K.

PY - 2025/1/13

Y1 - 2025/1/13

N2 - People who are higher in conscientiousness, extraversion, and agreeableness and lower in neuroticism tend to live longer. The present research tested the hypothesis that personality trait change in middle and older adulthood would also be associated with mortality risk, above and beyond personality trait level. Personality trait change may causally influence mortality risk through corresponding changes in health behaviors, social processes, and stress experience. Alternatively, personality trait change may be a marker of successful or unsuccessful adaptation to life circumstances, which in turn influences mortality risk, or shared risk factors may impact personality trait change and mortality risk. In the latter case, personality trait change may serve as a “psychosocial vital sign” pointing toward increased risk. In 11 samples of middle-aged and older adults (combined N = 32,348), we used multilevel growth curve models to estimate personality trait level and personality trait change across three to 11 measurement occasions spanning 6–43 years. Next, we used Cox proportional hazards models to test whether personality trait level and personality trait change were associated with mortality risk. Higher conscientiousness (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.83), extraversion (HR = 0.93), and agreeableness (HR = 0.88) were associated with longer survival while higher neuroticism was associated with shorter survival (HR = 1.22). In contrast to personality trait level, we found limited evidence for associations between personality trait change and mortality risk. We discuss conceptual and methodological implications of the present findings that may guide future research on associations between personality trait change, health, and mortality.

AB - People who are higher in conscientiousness, extraversion, and agreeableness and lower in neuroticism tend to live longer. The present research tested the hypothesis that personality trait change in middle and older adulthood would also be associated with mortality risk, above and beyond personality trait level. Personality trait change may causally influence mortality risk through corresponding changes in health behaviors, social processes, and stress experience. Alternatively, personality trait change may be a marker of successful or unsuccessful adaptation to life circumstances, which in turn influences mortality risk, or shared risk factors may impact personality trait change and mortality risk. In the latter case, personality trait change may serve as a “psychosocial vital sign” pointing toward increased risk. In 11 samples of middle-aged and older adults (combined N = 32,348), we used multilevel growth curve models to estimate personality trait level and personality trait change across three to 11 measurement occasions spanning 6–43 years. Next, we used Cox proportional hazards models to test whether personality trait level and personality trait change were associated with mortality risk. Higher conscientiousness (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.83), extraversion (HR = 0.93), and agreeableness (HR = 0.88) were associated with longer survival while higher neuroticism was associated with shorter survival (HR = 1.22). In contrast to personality trait level, we found limited evidence for associations between personality trait change and mortality risk. We discuss conceptual and methodological implications of the present findings that may guide future research on associations between personality trait change, health, and mortality.

KW - Big Five

KW - coordinated data analysis

KW - mortality

KW - personality change

KW - personality development

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85215671728&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85215671728&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1037/pspp0000531

DO - 10.1037/pspp0000531

M3 - Article

C2 - 39804344

AN - SCOPUS:85215671728

SN - 0022-3514

VL - 128

SP - 392

EP - 409

JO - Journal of personality and social psychology

JF - Journal of personality and social psychology

IS - 2

ER -

Associations of Personality Trait Level and Change With Mortality Risk in 11 Longitudinal Studies

Abstract

Funding

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this