Personality traits and loneliness among older people in the UK: Cross-sectional and longitudinal analysis from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing

Abstract

Little research has analysed the relationship between personality traits and loneliness, considering polygenic risk scores (PGSs), social isolation, socioeconomic, and health factors. We used data from 4,892 older adults 52 years and older from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA). ELSA wave 5 (2010/2011) was our baseline, and wave 6 (2012/2013) to wave 9 (2018/2019) was the loneliness follow-up. Polygenic risk scores for loneliness were derived from genome-wide association studies. We conducted multiple linear regression and multilevel LMMs to analyse the cross-sectional and longitudinal relationship between personality traits and loneliness. Extroversion (Coef. = -.375; 95% CI:−.447 to .302), Neuroticism (Coef. = .557; 95% CI: .485–.629), Agreeableness (Coef. = −.188: 95% CI: −.273 to .103), Conscientiousness (Coef. = −.183; 95% CI: −.271 to .095), and Openness to Experience (Coef. = −.170; 95% CI: −.236 to .103) were associated with loneliness at baseline. Over eight years of follow-up, loneliness levels decreased on average. Only Extroversion was associated with the loneliness rate of decline (Coef. = .012; 95% CI: .002–.022) after potential confounders had been considered. An important task of health and social services is to identify older adults at risk of physical, mental, and cognitive health issues. The success of public health and clinical interventions to reduce loneliness could be informed by a consideration of personality profiles.