scholarly journals Personality Trait Change across Late Childhood to Young Adulthood: Evidence for Nonlinearity and Sex Differences in Change

2016 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-44 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Emily Durbin ◽  
Brian M. Hicks ◽  
Daniel M. Blonigen ◽  
Wendy Johnson ◽  
William G. Iacono ◽  
...  

We explored patterns of self–reported personality trait change across late childhood through young adulthood in a sample assessed up to four times on the lower order facets of Positive Emotionality, Negative Emotionality (NEM), and Constraint (CON). Multilevel modelling analyses were used to describe both group– and individual–level change trajectories across this time span. There was evidence for nonlinear age–related change in most traits, and substantial individual differences in change for all traits. Gender differences were detected in the change trajectories for several facets of NEM and CON. Findings add to the literature on personality development by demonstrating robust nonlinear change in several traits across late childhood to young adulthood, as well as deviations from normative patterns of maturation at the earliest ages. Copyright © 2015 European Association of Personality Psychology

2014 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 362-386 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Emily Durbin ◽  
Brian M. Hicks

A dominant paradigm in psychopathology research proposes that individual differences in personality are centrally involved in the origins and manifestations of psychopathology, and structural models of personality and psychopathology have been extremely useful in helping to organize associations among many traits and disorders. However, these models merely describe patterns of covariation; they do not explain the processes by which these patterns emerge. We argue that the field is stagnated, as it is overly focused on the demonstration of concurrent associations and on confirming a spectrum model that proposes traits and disorders are manifestations of the same underlying constructs. We contend that if the field is to move towards an understanding of causal processes, it must integrate knowledge and principles of personality development and developmental psychopathology. To begin this integration, we review (i) normative trends in personality change, (ii) age–related changes in the prevalence of disorders, and (iii) the impact of onset and chronicity on the severity of disorders. We propose several developmental processes that may contribute to the co–development of personality and psychopathology. We then present novel empirical findings to illustrate how a developmental perspective on traits and disorders can inform new hypotheses and propose principles and hypotheses that should guide future research. Copyright © 2014 European Association of Personality Psychology


2014 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 256-266 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maike Luhmann ◽  
Ulrich Orth ◽  
Jule Specht ◽  
Christian Kandler ◽  
Richard E. Lucas

Most theories of personality development posit that changes in life circumstances (e.g. due to major life events) can lead to changes in personality, but few studies have examined the exact time course of these changes. In this article, we argue that time needs to be considered explicitly in theories and empirical studies on personality development. We discuss six notions on the role of time in personality development. First, people can differ before the event. Second, change can be non–linear and discontinuous. Third, change can be reversible. Fourth, change can occur before the event. Fifth, control groups are needed to disentangle age–related and event–related changes. Sixth, we need to move beyond examining single major life events and study the effects of non–normative events, non–events, multiple events, and minor events on personality. We conclude by summarizing the methodological and theoretical implications of these notions. Copyright © 2014 European Association of Personality Psychology


2006 ◽  
Vol 20 (6) ◽  
pp. 461-474 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brent W. Roberts ◽  
Kate Walton ◽  
Tim Bogg ◽  
Avshalom Caspi

The present study investigated the relationship between experiences of de‐investment in work and change in personality traits in an 8‐year longitudinal study of young adults (N = 907). De‐investment was defined as participating in activities that run counter to age‐graded norms for acceptable behaviour. De‐investment in work was operationalised with a measure of counterproductive work behaviours (CWBs), which included actions such as stealing from the work place, malingering and fighting with co‐workers. CWBs were used to predict changes in personality traits from age 18 to age 26. Consistent with hypotheses, greater amounts of CWB was associated with changes in the broad trait domains of negative emotionality and constraint. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


2019 ◽  
Vol 33 (5) ◽  
pp. 606-626 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ville–Juhani Ilmarinen ◽  
Mari–Pauliina Vainikainen ◽  
Markku Verkasalo ◽  
Jan–Erik Lönnqvist

Sociometric status, the regard that other group members confer to an individual, is one of the most ubiquitous and behaviourally relevant attributes assigned to the person by the social environment. Despite this, its contribution to personality development has received little attention. The present three–wave longitudinal study, spanning the age range 7–13 years ( n = 1222), sought to fill this gap by examining the transactional pathways between peer sociometric status (measured by peer nominations) and Five–Factor personality traits (measured by self–ratings and parent and teacher ratings). Sociometric status prospectively predicted the development of extraversion. By contrast, agreeableness and neuroticism prospectively predicted the development of sociometric status. Furthermore, individual–level stability in extraversion was associated with individual–level stability in sociometric status. The results were robust across different sources of personality ratings. We argue that peer sociometric status in the school classroom is the type of environmental effect that has potential to explain personality development. Because of its stability, broadness, and possible impact across a variety of personality processes, sociometric status can both repetitiously and simultaneously influence the network of multiple inter–correlated micro–level personality processes, potentially leading to a new network equilibrium that manifests in changes at the level of the broad personality trait. © 2019 European Association of Personality Psychology


2005 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 320-329 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ursula M. Staudinger ◽  
Ute Kunzmann

Abstract. Does personality stay stable after young adulthood or is there continued change throughout middle and later adulthood? For decades, this question has caused heated debate. Over the last couple of years, a consensus has emerged based on recent cross-cultural as well as longitudinal evidence. This consensus confirms that indeed there is personality change in middle and later adulthood. Many authors have labeled this change personality maturation or growth. In somewhat simplified terms the observed pattern is as follows: neuroticism declines, conscientiousness and agreeableness increase. At the same time it has been argued that this pattern of personality change is the result of coping with the developmental tasks of adulthood and, thus, increased adjustment. We would like to examine this practice of equating developmental adjustment with growth and ask how to define personality growth. To answer this question, we consult theories of personality development as well as lifespan theory.


2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (11) ◽  
pp. e003269
Author(s):  
Okikiolu Badejo ◽  
Christiana Noestlinger ◽  
Toyin Jolayemi ◽  
Juliette Adeola ◽  
Prosper Okonkwo ◽  
...  

IntroductionSubstantial disparities in care outcomes exist between different subgroups of adolescents and youths living with HIV (AYLHIV). Understanding variation in individual and health facility characteristics could be key to identifying targets for interventions to reduce these disparities. We modelled variation in AYLHIV retention in care and viral suppression, and quantified the extent to which individual and facility characteristics account for observed variations.MethodsWe included 1170 young adolescents (10–14 years), 3206 older adolescents (15–19 years) and 9151 young adults (20–24 years) who were initiated on antiretroviral therapy (ART) between January 2015 and December 2017 across 124 healthcare facilities in Nigeria. For each age group, we used multilevel modelling to partition observed variation of main outcomes (retention in care and viral suppression at 12 months after ART initiation) by individual (level one) and health facility (level two) characteristics. We used multiple group analysis to compare the effects of individual and facility characteristics across age groups.ResultsFacility characteristics explained most of the observed variance in retention in care in all the age groups, with smaller contributions from individual-level characteristics (14%–22.22% vs 0%–3.84%). For viral suppression, facility characteristics accounted for a higher proportion of variance in young adolescents (15.79%), but not in older adolescents (0%) and young adults (3.45%). Males were more likely to not be retained in care (adjusted OR (aOR)=1.28; p<0.001 young adults) and less likely to achieve viral suppression (aOR=0.69; p<0.05 older adolescent). Increasing facility-level viral load testing reduced the likelihood of non-retention in care, while baseline regimen TDF/3TC/EFV or NVP increased the likelihood of viral suppression.ConclusionsDifferences in characteristics of healthcare facilities accounted for observed disparities in retention in care and, to a lesser extent, disparities in viral suppression. An optimal combination of individual and health services approaches is, therefore, necessary to reduce disparities in the health and well-being of AYLHIV.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marie Hennecke ◽  
Paul Schumann ◽  
jule specht

People differ from each other in their typical patterns of behavior, thought, and emotion and these patterns are considered to constitute their personalities (Funder, 2001). For various reasons, for example because certain trait levels may help to attain certain goals or fulfill certain social roles, people may experience that their actual trait levels are different from their ideal trait levels. In this study, we investigated (1) the impact of age on discrepancies between actual and ideal Big Five personality trait levels and (2) the impact of these discrepancies on personality trait changes across a period of two years. We use data of a large, nationally representative, and age-diverse sample (N = 4,057, 17-94 years, M = 53 years). Results largely confirmed previously reported age effects on actual personality trait levels but were sometimes more complex. Ideal trait levels exceeded actual trait levels more strongly for younger compared to older adults. Unexpectedly, neither ideal trait levels nor their interaction with beliefs about the extent to which personality is malleable vs. fixed predicted trait change over two years (controlling for actual trait levels). We conclude that ideal-actual trait level discrepancies may provide an impetus for change but that they appear to neither alone nor in combination with the belief that personality trait change is possible suffice to produce such change. We discuss commitment, self-efficacy, and strategy knowledge as potential additional predictors of trait change.


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