The kids are alright: Growth and stability in personality development from adolescence to adulthood.

Abstract

This longitudinal study provides a comprehensive analysis of continuity and change in personality functioning from age 18 to age 26 in a birth cohort (N = 921) using the Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire (A. Tellegen, 1982). Data were analyzed using 4 different methods: differential continuity, mean-level change, individual differences in change, and ipsative change. Convergent evidence pointing toward personality continuity, as opposed to change, was found. The personality changes that did take place from adolescence to adulthood reflected growth in the direction of greater maturity; many adolescents became more controlled and socially more confident and less angry and alienated. Consistent with this, greater initial levels of maturity were associated with less personality change over time. The results indicate that the transition from adolescence to young adulthood is marked by continuity of personality and growth toward greater maturity.

Cites (11)

1. Emerging adulthood: A theory of development from the late teens through the twenties.
   Arnett, Jeffrey Jensen · 2000 · American Psychologist
2. Adolescence-limited and life-course-persistent antisocial behavior: a developmental taxonomy
   Moffitt, Terrie E. · 1993 · Psychological Review
3. Clinical significance: A statistical approach to defining meaningful change in psychotherapy research.
   Jacobson, Neil S., Truax, Paula · 1991 · Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology
4. An Introduction to the Five‐Factor Model and Its Applications
   McCrae, Robert R., John, Oliver P. · 1992 · Journal of Personality
5. Sex Differences in Antisocial Behaviour: Conduct Disorder, Delinquency, and Violence in the Dunedin Longitudinal Study
   Moffitt, Terrie E., Caspi, Avshalom, Rutter, Michael, Silva, Phil A. · 2001
6. Methods for defining and determining the clinical significance of treatment effects: description, application and alternatives
   Jacobson, Neil S., Roberts, Lisa J., Berns, Sara B., McGlinchey, Joseph B. · 1999 · Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology
7. Personality traits are differentially linked to mental disorders: A multitrait-multidiagnosis study of an adolescent birth cohort.
   Krueger, Robert F., Caspi, Avshalom, Moffitt, Terrie E., Silva, Phil A., McGee, Rob · 1996 · Journal of Abnormal Psychology
8. Personality change in women from college to midlife.
   Helson, Ravenna, Moane, Geraldine · 1987 · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
9. Epidemiological Personology: The Unifying Role of Personality in Population‐Based Research on Problem Behaviors
   Krueger, Robert F., Caspi, Avshalom, Moffitt, Terrie E. · 2000 · Journal of Personality
10. Personality Development and Growth in Women Across 30 Years: Three Perspectives
    Roberts, Brent W., Helson, Ravenna, Klohnen, Eva C. · 2002 · Journal of Personality

Show all 11 references

Cited by (37)

1. Patterns of mean-level change in personality traits across the life course: A meta-analysis of longitudinal studies.
   Roberts, Brent W., Walton, Kate E., Viechtbauer, Wolfgang · 2006 · Psychological Bulletin
2. Personality Development: Stability and Change
   Caspi, Avshalom, Roberts, Brent W., Shiner, Rebecca L. · 2005 · Annual Review of Psychology
3. The impact of entrepreneurship education on entrepreneurship skills and motivation
   Oosterbeek, Hessel, van Praag, Mirjam, Ijsselstein, Auke · 2010 · European Economic Review
4. Personality Trait Change in Adulthood
   Roberts, Brent W., Mroczek, Daniel · 2008 · Current Directions in Psychological Science
5. Approach-avoidance motivation in personality: Approach and avoidance temperaments and goals.
   Elliot, Andrew J., Thrash, Todd M. · 2002 · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology

See all 610