TY - JOUR
T1 - Self-reported extremely adverse life events and longitudinal changes in five-factor model personality traits in an urban sample
AU - Löckenhoff, Corinna E.
AU - Terracciano, Antonio
AU - Patriciu, Nicholas S.
AU - Eaton, William W.
AU - Costa, Paul T.
PY - 2009
Y1 - 2009
N2 - This study examined longitudinal personality change in response to extremely adverse life events in a sample (N = 458) drawn from the East Baltimore Epidemiologic Catchment Area study. Five-factor model personality traits were assessed twice over an average interval of 8 years. Twenty-five percent of the participants reported an extremely horrifying or frightening event within 2 years before the second personality assessment. Relative to the rest of the sample, they showed increases in neuroticism, decreases in the compliance facet of agreeableness, and decreases in openness to values. Baseline personality was unrelated to future events, but among participants who reported extreme events, lower extraversion and/or conscientiousness at baseline as well as longitudinal increases in neuroticism predicted lower mental health at follow-up.
AB - This study examined longitudinal personality change in response to extremely adverse life events in a sample (N = 458) drawn from the East Baltimore Epidemiologic Catchment Area study. Five-factor model personality traits were assessed twice over an average interval of 8 years. Twenty-five percent of the participants reported an extremely horrifying or frightening event within 2 years before the second personality assessment. Relative to the rest of the sample, they showed increases in neuroticism, decreases in the compliance facet of agreeableness, and decreases in openness to values. Baseline personality was unrelated to future events, but among participants who reported extreme events, lower extraversion and/or conscientiousness at baseline as well as longitudinal increases in neuroticism predicted lower mental health at follow-up.
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U2 - 10.1002/jts.20385
DO - 10.1002/jts.20385
M3 - Article
C2 - 19230009
AN - SCOPUS:67049114731
SN - 0894-9867
VL - 22
SP - 53
EP - 59
JO - Journal of traumatic stress
JF - Journal of traumatic stress
IS - 1
ER -