Changes In Personality Traits Research Articles

Changes in Personality Functioning and Pathological Personality Traits as a Function of Treatment: A Feasibility Study

AbstractWith the dimensional shift, personality pathology is now commonly conceptualized using a combination of personality functioning and (pathological) personality traits. Personality functioning has been deemed more sensitive to treatment than the specific trait combination of personality problems. To empirically examine just that, the goal of this pilot study was to simultaneously compare changes in personality functioning (LPFS-BF 2.0), pathological traits (PID-5-BF), and normal-range traits (BFI-2) among individuals receiving integrative, dynamic-relational psychotherapy (baseline n = 52, follow-up n = 31) and a matched control group (n = 31). The results showed that clients had stronger changes in personality functioning than in traits when compared to the control group. In addition, clients lower on personality functioning were more inclined to drop-out of therapy. This study points to the unique clinical utility of personality functioning and provides a foundation for future research focusing on the sensitivity of personality functioning and personality traits to changes within the context of psychotherapy.

Surgical treatment may improve depressive and hysterical traits in temporal lobe epilepsy with hippocampal sclerosis: Study using the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory

AbstractAimThe influence of surgeries on psychiatric symptoms and personality traits is not well known in patients with intractable temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). We investigated changes in personality traits with respect to postoperative seizure outcomes, etiology, side of surgery, and sex differences.MethodsClinical information was retrospectively collected for 44 patients whose Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) was examined before and 1 year after surgical treatment for drug‐resistant TLE. Postoperative changes in MMPI T‐scores were analyzed using a paired t‐test. Participants were divided into two groups based on postoperative seizure outcome, the presence or absence of hippocampal sclerosis (HS) as the etiology, side of surgery, and sex differences. The effect of these clinical factors on postoperative changes in MMPI T‐scores was evaluated using analysis of covariance (P‐values < 0.05).ResultsThe hypochondria (Hs) scale decreased significantly in all patients (p = 0.022). The postoperative seizure‐free group had a significant decrease in the depression (D) scale (p = 0.037). The HS group had significant decreases in the D scale and the hysteria (Hy) scale (p = 0.016 and 0.004, respectively), and a significant increase in the masculinity‐femininity (Mf) scale (p = 0.009). No significant differences existed between the sides of surgery or sex.ConclusionDepressive traits were improved in patients with postoperative seizure freedom. Depressive and hysterical traits were improved in patients with HS, which may be attributed to a reduction in anxiety and fear associated with aura. Most personality traits are not significantly changed or exacerbated by surgical treatment of TLE.

The base-rate and longer-term relevance of year-to-year change in personality traits

Personality traits are assumed to change slowly and incrementally. Recent intervention studies apparently challenge this assumption, showing that personality traits can also change quickly and substantially. However, how frequently do such quick changes manifest in the general population? This study sought to determine (1) a base rate of year-to-year changes in the general population and (2) the extent to which these shifts are related to longer-term change patterns. We examined year-to-year change in Big Five traits with nationally representative data from 7005 German participants, annually tracked for up to six years. Year-to-year patterns exhibited stability and change (e.g., ≥ 1 SD year-to-year change in ≈ 20%). Across participants, year-to-year trait score increases and decreases occurred in equal proportions, suggesting that in a given sample, year-to-year changes in different directions average out. Within participants, however, in all domains but agreeableness, year-to-year changes reliably propagated to longer-term trajectories. While much of the year-to-year change faded away in subsequent years, lasting shifts in individuals’ trait levels remained, particularly upon pronounced year-to-year decreases. Overall, (pronounced) year-to-year changes were relatively common, largely reversible, and yet predictive of individuals’ longer-term trajectories. We discuss how the results bridge set-point assumptions with assumptions of incremental trait change.

Does narrating the life story predict changes in personality traits and characteristics?

To measure narratives, individuals often participate in a life story interview, which bears similarity to a narrative therapeutic approach. Given that clinical interventions were shown to impact change in personality traits and characteristics, the present study explored whether narrating one’s life story is also linked to such changes. The pre-registered study compared 123 life-story-interview participants (Mage = 35.44 years) with 123 control-sample participants (Mage = 35.50 years). We assessed participants’ personality traits, optimism, self-esteem, life satisfaction, and affect before and 1 and 3 years after the interview. The findings suggest that the life story interview does not lead to consistent changes in personality traits and characteristics, indicating that this interview setting developed for measurement is different from an intervention.

Naturalistic assessments in virtual reality and in real life help resolve the age-prospective memory paradox

ABSTRACT Cognitive aging researchers have long reported “paradoxical” age differences in prospective memory (PM), with age deficits in laboratory settings and age benefits (or no deficits) in real-world settings. We propose a theoretical account that explains this “age-PM-paradox” as a consequence of both methodological factors and developmental changes in cognitive abilities and personality traits. To test this account, young and older adults performed a series of naturalistic PM tasks in the lab and real world. Age-related PM deficits were observed in both lab-based tasks where demands were implemented using virtual reality and in-person role-playing. In contrast, older adults performed equal to or better than young adults on both real-world tasks, where demands were implemented in participants’ daily lives. Consistent with our proposed account, an index of these “paradoxical” effects was partially predicted by age-related differences in working memory, vigilance, agreeableness, and neuroticism, whose predictive utility varied across task settings.

One-to-one coaching and coachee personality trait change

Purpose A specific area of interest in the coaching literature is focused on exploring the intersection of personality and coaching; however, research has yet to explore whether coaching exerts reciprocal effects on personality traits (i.e. if personality trait change can accompany coaching). Utilizing the explanatory theoretical framing of the Demands-Affordances TrAnsactional framework (Woods et al., 2019), we propose that coaching may indirectly facilitate personality trait change by firstly enabling the coachee to reflect on their behaviors, second, implement desired behavioral changes which consequently facilitate personality trait change.Design/methodology/approachA quasi-experiment was conducted to explore coaching and personality trait change. Students participating in a demanding, work-based team simulation (N = 258), were assigned to either an intervention group (and received one-to-one coaching) or a control group (who received no intervention). Personality traits were measured before and after coaching and positioned as the dependent variable.FindingsResults indicate that participants in the coaching group exhibited significant changes in self-reported agreeableness, conscientiousness, extraversion and core self-evaluations, which all significantly decreased after coaching; however, no change was observed for the control group.Originality/valueWe provide the first exploration of coaching and personality trait change, contributing to both the coaching literature, by providing evidence regarding the efficacy of coaching to facilitate personality trait change in coachees, and the personality literature, by highlighting coaching as an important tool for those interested in personality trait change. Our research also has implications for other interventions such as mentoring, as we provide support for the notion that interventions can support personality trait change.

Is Psychopathy a Dynamic Risk Factor? An Empirical Investigation of Changes in Psychopathic Personality Traits Over the Course of Correctional Treatment

Is Psychopathy a Dynamic Risk Factor? An Empirical Investigation of Changes in Psychopathic Personality Traits Over the Course of Correctional Treatment

Do changes in personality predict life outcomes?

The Big Five personality traits predict many important life outcomes. These traits, although relatively stable, are also open to change across time. However, whether these changes likewise predict a wide range of life outcomes has yet to be rigorously tested. This has implications for the types of processes linking trait levels and changes with future outcomes: distal, cumulative processes versus more immediate, proximal processes, respectively. The present study used seven longitudinal data sets (N = 81,980) to comprehensively examine the unique relationship that changes in the Big Five traits have with static levels and changes in numerous outcomes in the domains of health, education, career, finance, relationships, and civic engagement. Meta-analytic estimates were calculated and study-level variables were examined as potential moderators of these pooled effects. Results indicated that changes in personality traits are sometimes prospectively related to static outcomes-such as health status, degree attainment, unemployment, and volunteering-above and beyond associations due to static trait levels. Moreover, changes in personality more frequently predicted changes in these outcomes, with associations for new outcomes emerging as well (e.g., marriage, divorce). Across all meta-analytic models, the magnitude of effects for changes in traits was never larger than that of static levels and there were fewer change associations. Study-level moderators (e.g., average age, number of Big Five waves, internal consistency estimates) were rarely associated with effects. Our study suggests personality change can play a valuable role in one's development and highlights that both cumulative and proximal processes matter for some trait-outcome associations. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Do experiences during the transition to working life Matter? the role of mastery and psychological commitment in personality trait change

Differences in transition experiences might explain individual differences in personality trait change. In the present six-wave study, we investigated personality trait change during the transition to work in a sample of students who were in their last two years of their study program (N = 311). We tested whether the transition (i.e., participation in an internship), psychological commitment (i.e., educational identity), and mastery of the transition (i.e., GPA and fit between master degree and job) would predict individual differences in personality trait change. The results indicated that mastery and commitment did not explain individual differences in personality trait change. Only individual differences in extraversion change could be explained by participation in an internship, by means of reduced extraversion in internship students.

One year later: Longer-term maintenance effects of a digital intervention to change personality traits.

Recent research suggests that personality traits can be changed by psychological interventions. However, it is unclear whether these intended personality changes can be maintained or merely reflect ephemeral shifts. The present study reports 1-year follow-up effects of a 3-month digital intervention for personality trait change. Personality traits were measured before the intervention (pretest: N = 1523), directly after the intervention (posttest: n = 554), and 3 months (follow-up 1: n = 437) and 1 year (follow-up 2: n = 157) after the end of the intervention. Attrition analyses suggest that participants who completed the 1-year follow-up were significantly more open to experience (d = 0.19), less neurotic (d = 0.20), more agreeable (d = 0.35) and more conscientious (d = 0.27) than participants who did not complete the 1-year follow-up. Also, until the 1-year follow-up, personality trait changes achieved remained stable (for those who wanted to increase in extraversion and conscientiousness) or even changed further in the desired direction (for those who wanted to decrease in neuroticism). These results suggest that changes in personality traits due to a targeted intervention are not just ephemeral shifts and can even continue.

Does personality always matter for health? Examining the moderating effect of age on the personality-health link from life span developmental and aging perspectives.

Extensive evidence has been found for the associations between personality traits and health. However, it remains unknown whether the relationships between personality and health show differential patterns across different life stages. The current research examined how the associations between the levels of and changes in the Big Five personality traits and different types of health outcomes (self-rated, physical, and physiological health outcomes) differ across ages over the life span (Sample 1, age range: 15-100) and during the aging process (Sample 2, age range: 50-109) in particular. Using data from the two large longitudinal studies-the Household, Income, and Labor Dynamics in Australia Survey and the Health and Retirement Study, we observed three important patterns. First, levels of and changes in personality traits were significantly associated with health across different life phases, and these effects were observed even in very old ages. Second, overall, the prospective relations between personality traits/changes in personality traits and health outcomes increased in strength in middle adulthood and/or early stages of late adulthood; however, the strength of their connections diminished in very old ages. Finally, there were some trait-specific and health outcome-specific patterns in the age-differential associations between personality and health. Findings from the present study contribute to enhancing our understanding of the personality-health link from a developmental perspective and provide critical information for the design and implementation of screening and interventions targeting health promotion. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

The effects of a personality intervention on satisfaction in 10 domains of life: Evidence for increases and correlated change with personality traits.

The desire to change one's personality traits has been shown to be stronger if people are dissatisfied with associated aspects of their life. While evidence for the effects of interventions on personality trait change is increasing, it is unclear whether these lead to subsequent improvements in the satisfaction with various domains of life. In this study, we examined the effects of a 3-month digital-coaching personality change intervention study on 10 domains of satisfaction. We focused on the three largest intervention groups of the study (N = 418), which included participants who wanted to increase their Emotional Stability, Conscientiousness, or Extraversion. Bivariate latent change score models were used to examine correlated change between the targeted personality traits and satisfaction domains. We found that global life satisfaction and satisfaction with oneself as a person increased in all three intervention groups. In addition, increases in specific satisfaction domains were reported for the Conscientiousness (e.g., work/school, health, friendships) and Emotional Stability (e.g., family, sexual relationships, emotions) group. Increases were stable up to the 3-month follow-up. In contrast, the waitlist control group did not report any changes in global or domain-specific life satisfaction. Changes in the satisfaction domains were positively correlated with self-reported personality trait change to a similar degree as the cross-sectional associations, but not to observer-reported personality trait change. The personality intervention thus seemed to have a positive effect on satisfaction with various domains of life, which was associated with the degree of self-reported personality trait change. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Informant-rated change in personality traits, psychological distress, well-being, and social connection with dementia

ObjectivesStudies of retrospective personality change with dementia consistently find caregivers report large changes in personality (e.g., increases in neuroticism) of their care recipients compared to before dementia. This work seeks to replicate the established pattern of personality change, extend it to change in psychological distress, well-being, and social connection, and evaluate whether changes vary by stage of dementia. MethodsCaregivers of people with dementia (N = 188) reported on the psychological and social health of their care recipient currently and how they were before they developed dementia. Personality was measured as five factor model traits. Psychological distress was measured as symptoms of depression and anxiety, perceived stress, and pessimism. Psychological well-being was measured as purpose in life, life satisfaction, happiness, self-efficacy, and optimism. Social connection was measured as loneliness, belonging, social support, and social strain. ResultsThere were substantial increases in neuroticism (d = 1.14) and decreases in the other four personality traits (d range=–0.85 to –1.37). There were significant increases in psychological distress (e.g., d = 1.07 for depression) and substantial decreases in well-being (e.g., d=–1.18 for purpose in life) and social connection (e.g., d=–1.12 for belonging). Change was apparent across dementia stage and generally larger in more severe dementia. DiscussionIn addition to personality, there are large retrospective changes in psychological distress, well-being, and social connection with dementia. These quantitative findings complement clinical observations of the natural history of psychosocial changes in people with dementia, and can inform families, clinicians, and researchers on commonly observed changes and improve interventions to mitigate dementia burden.

Alternative beliefs in psychedelic drug users

Previous research has suggested that classical psychedelics can foster significant and enduring changes in personality traits and subjective wellbeing. Despite the lack of evidence for adverse effects on mental health stemming from psychedelic use, concerns persist regarding the capacity of these substances to modulate information processing and attitudes towards factual data. The aim of the present study was to investigate the propensity for accepting alternative facts and the general treatment of knowledge within a sample of 392 participants, 233 of whom reported at least a single incidence of psychedelic use in their lifetime. To do this, we leveraged step-wise methods of linear modelling investigating effects of demographics, psychiatric conditions and concomitant drug use. Our findings revealed a moderate positive association between psychedelic use and beliefs in alternative facts, as well as the specific belief that facts are politically influenced. However, no links were found for favouring intuition over evidence when confirming facts. Among other investigated drugs, only alcohol was negatively associated with beliefs in alternative facts. Taken together, our results support the link between psychedelic use and non-conformist thinking styles, which can be attributed to the psychological effects of the drugs themselves, but may also mirror a common trait related to unconventional beliefs and illicit substance use.

Longitudinal relationship between psychological distress and personality traits.

Personality traits are typically assumed to predict psychological distress, with little attention paid to the potential influence of psychological distress on personality traits. Recent empirical findings, however, challenge this prevailing view by demonstrating the potential for personality traits to change and suggesting the plausible influence of chronic distress on these traits. This study aimed to examine the mutual within-person associations between psychological distress and the Big Five personality traits. The primary research question was whether a change in psychological distress is associated with a change in personality traits (and vice versa) after approximately 4years. A nationally representative sample from Australia (N=22,837), collected at four time points over 13years, was used. The random-intercept cross-lagged panel model was used to partition variance into between-person and within-person components. Results showed that there was no temporal within-person association between openness and distress. Extraversion and conscientiousness were found to have bidirectional within-person relationships with distress, suggesting that increases in extraversion and conscientiousness are associated with decreases in distress over time and vice versa. Emotional stability and agreeableness showed unidirectional relationships with distress, with increased distress predicting decreased emotional stability and increased agreeableness predicting decreased distress. Therefore, except for openness, the other traits had at least one significant within-person link to psychological distress. These findings unveil a reciprocal longitudinal linkage between personality traits and psychological distress, highlighting the potential negative impact of prolonged psychological distress on the developmental trajectory of personality traits.

Life Events and Personality Change: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

While there is some evidence for changes in personality traits, life satisfaction, and self-esteem as a function of life events, effects have been small and inconsistent across studies. In this preregistered meta-analysis, we summarize the available evidence on personality change in response to life events using data from 44 studies, including 89 samples with a total of 121,187 participants. Results supported reliable and specific albeit relatively small effects of life events on personality change. Effects were larger and more consistent in the work than in the love domain, with graduation, the first job, a new relationship, marriage, and divorce showing the strongest effects on change in personality variables. Estimates were largely comparable across samples with and without comparison groups. Finally, moderator analyses indicated significant effects of time lag on the links between life events in the love domain and personality change but no effects of other examined variables. We discuss these results in the context of a field-wide turn towards designs that go beyond the study of single life events to examine the mechanisms of personality change using more sophisticated and sensitive designs.

Development of HEXACO Personality Traits and Their Relations With Socioeconomic Factors Among Chinese Adolescents: A Three-Wave Longitudinal Study

This three-wave longitudinal study investigated the stability and changes in HEXACO personality traits and tested whether socioeconomic factors relate to the initial levels and changes of personality among Chinese adolescents ( N = 1,646, Wave 1 Mage = 15.21 years). The findings revealed high rank-order stability of HEXACO personality traits. Consistent with the disruption hypothesis, latent growth modeling revealed significant decreases in Honesty-Humility and Agreeableness and a significant increase in Emotionality among boys. Findings also provided evidence contradicting the disruption hypothesis as both boys and girls exhibited an increase in Extraversion, indicating the complexity of developmental trends in personality during adolescence. Conditional latent growth modeling demonstrated that higher childhood and current family socioeconomic status were associated with higher initial levels of Extraversion, Conscientiousness, and Openness to Experience, and a lower initial level of Emotionality. Perceived economic inequality was related to a lower initial level of Honesty-Humility and a higher initial level of Openness to Experience. However, socioeconomic factors were not associated with the slopes of personality change. These findings highlight the need for future research to refine the disruption hypothesis and suggest that socioeconomic factors relate to the levels but not changes in personality traits during middle to late adolescence.

Trait and symptom change in group cognitive behaviour therapy for anxiety and depression.

Personality traits underlying both anxiety disorders and depression are more malleable than previously presumed. This study examined associations between changes in personality traits (i.e. negative affectivity and detachment) and alleviation of anxiety and depression symptoms following cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT). We hypothesized that decreases in negative affectivity would predict alleviation of depression and anxiety symptoms and decreases in detachment would predict decreases in depression and, to a lesser degree, anxiety symptoms. Data (N = 156) were collected in a randomized controlled trial comparing transdiagnostic and diagnosis-specific group CBT for patients with major depressive disorder, social anxiety disorder, panic disorder or agoraphobia. We assessed personality traits using the Personality Inventory for DSM-5 (PID-5) and symptoms with the Hopkins Symptom Checklist 25-item scale (SCL). Prediction was based on regression analyses. We found that decreases in negative affectivity predicted lower levels of depression and anxiety symptoms while decreases in detachment only predicted lower levels of depression symptoms. The findings substantiate current efforts to explicate the dynamic interplay between personality traits and symptoms and support the existing focus on targeting negative affectivity and detachment in therapy for anxiety disorders and depression. The trial is registered at clinicaltrials.gov (ID NCT02954731).

Social Expectations as a Possible Mechanism for Adult Personality Change: Limited Empirical Evidence for the Social Investment Principle.

Personality traits change in both mean levels and variance across the life span but the mechanisms underlying these developmental trends remain unclear. Social Investment Principle (SIP) suggests that social expectations drive personality changes in adulthood. Accordingly, we tested whether differences between personality traits in social expectations for them can explain their different change trajectories in young adulthood. A pool of 257 personality items was used to measure personality traits' means and variances (N = 1,096), and levels expected by friends, partners and bosses/supervisors (N = 121). Raters were consistent in their expectations for how young adults should think, feel and behave. Traits under stronger expectations had higher mean levels and lower variances than traits under lower expectations; trait means and variances increased with age, but inconsistently with the SIP, these increases were unrelated to the traits' expected levels. Our results are only partially consistent with the SIP.

Examining individual differences in personality trait changes after negative life events

Personality traits can change throughout the entire life span, but people differ in their personality trait changes. To better understand individual differences in personality changes, we examined personal (personality functioning), environmental (environmental changes), and event-related moderators (e.g., perceived event characteristics) of personality trait changes. Therefore, we used a sample of 1069 participants who experienced a negative life event in the last 5 weeks and assessed their personality traits at five measurement occasions over 6 months. Employing preregistered multilevel lasso estimation, we did not find any significant effects. While exploratory analyses generally confirmed this conclusion, they also identified some effects that might being worth to be considered in future research (e.g., perceived impact and perceived social status changes were associated with changes in agreeableness after experiencing a relationship breakup). In total, our moderators explained less than 2% of variance in personality traits. Nonetheless, our study has several important implications for future research on individual differences in personality change. For example, future research should consider personal, environmental, and event-related moderators, use different analytical methods, and rely on highly powered samples to detect very small effects.