TitleIs Healthy Neuroticism Associated with Longevity? A Coordinated Integrative Data Analysis.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2020
AuthorsTuriano, NA, Graham, EK, Weston, SJ, Booth, T, Harrison, F, James, BD, Lewis, NA, Makkar, SR, Mueller, S, Wisniewski, KM, Zhaoyang, R, Spiro, A, Willis, S, K Schaie, W, Lipton, RB, Katz, M, Sliwinski, MJ, Deary, IJ, Zelinski, EM, Bennett, DA, Sachdev, PS, Brodaty, H, Trollor, JN, Ames, D, Wright, MJ, Gerstorf, D, Muniz-Terrera, G, Piccinin, AM, Hofer, SM, Mroczek, DK
JournalCollabra Psychol
Volume6
Issue1
Date Published2020
ISSN2474-7394
Abstract

<p>Individual differences in the Big Five personality traits have emerged as predictors of health and longevity. Although there are robust protective effects for higher levels of conscientiousness, results are mixed for other personality traits. In particular, higher levels of neuroticism have significantly predicted an increased risk of mortality, no-risk at all, and even a reduced risk of dying. The current study hypothesizes that one potential reason for the discrepancy in these findings for neuroticism is that interactions among neuroticism and other key personality traits have largely been ignored. Thus, in the current study we focus on testing whether the personality traits neuroticism and conscientiousness interact to predict mortality. Specifically, we borrow from recent evidence of "healthy neuroticism" to explore whether higher levels of neuroticism are only a risk factor for increased mortality risk when conscientiousness levels are low. We conducted a pre-registered integrative data analysis using 12 different cohort studies (total = 44,702). Although a consistent pattern emerged of higher levels of conscientiousness predicting a reduced hazard of dying, neuroticism did not show a consistent pattern of prediction. Moreover, no study provided statistical evidence of a neuroticism by conscientiousness interaction. The current findings do not support the idea that the combination of high conscientiousness and high neuroticism can be protective for longevity. Future work is needed to explore different protective factors that may buffer the negative effects of higher levels of neuroticism on health, as well as other behaviors and outcomes that may support the construct of healthy neuroticism.</p>

DOI10.1525/collabra.268
Alternate JournalCollabra Psychol
PubMed ID33354648
PubMed Central IDPMC7751763
Grant ListRF1 AG064006 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States
R01 AG017917 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States
R01 AG056486 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States
P30 AG010161 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States
R01 AG032037 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States
R01 AG067622 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States
P01 AG003949 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States
U19 AG051426 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States
P01 AG043362 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States
R01 AG055653 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States
T32 AG000037 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States
K01 AG050823 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States
MR/K026992/1 / MR / Medical Research Council / United Kingdom
R01 AG010569 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States