Cited by 311Personality Traits and PsychologyAging and Gerontology ResearchHealth disparities and outcomes

Domain and Facet Personality Predictors of All-Cause Mortality Among Medicare Patients Aged 65 to 100

Weiss, Alexander, Costa, Paul T.·2005·Psychosomatic Medicine

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: Our objectives were to test whether Conscientiousness, the other 4 domains of the Five-Factor Model, and their facets predicted mortality in older, frail individuals. METHODS: Controlling for demographic and health measures, we used Cox regression to test whether the NEO Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI) Neuroticism, Extraversion, Openness to Experience, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness domains predicted all-cause mortality over 5 years in 1076 65- to 100-year-old participants who took part in a Medicare Demonstration study. Supplementary analyses on 597 participants aged 66 to 102 who were reassessed 2 years later were conducted to determine whether any of the Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI-R) facets were related to mortality. RESULTS: When personality domains were treated as continuous variables, NEO-FFI Neuroticism and Agreeableness were significant protective factors. When personality domains were trichotomized, NEO-FFI Conscientiousness was a protective factor. In a third analysis, Agreeableness was not a significant predictor in a model that included the continuous Neuroticism and trichotomized Conscientiousness variables. Analysis of the NEO-PI-R Neuroticism, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness factors showed that Agreeableness and Conscientiousness were protective and that there was a trend for a similar effect of Neuroticism. Facet-level analyses revealed that the Impulsiveness, Straightforwardness, and Self-Discipline facets of Neuroticism, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness, respectively, were prospectively related to greater survival over a 3-year interval. CONCLUSION: The effects of Neuroticism and Agreeableness on mortality are inconsistent across previous studies. This study indicates that, in a sample of older, frail participants, high Neuroticism and Agreeableness scores are protective and that more specific effects are primarily the result of the Impulsiveness and Straightforwardness facet scales. The Conscientiousness findings are consistent with those in earlier studies and demonstrate the importance of the Self-Discipline facet.

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Crossref · 10.1097/01.psy.0000181272.58103.18

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  • The significant role of conscientiousness in health has been demonstrated in several longitudinal studies showing decreased all-life mortality rates while controlling for other key demographic variables such as gender, age, education level, smoking, and self-rated health.

    “The significant role of conscientiousness in health has been demonstrated in several longitudinal studies showing decreased all-life mortality rates while controlling for other key demographic variables such as gender, age, education level, smoking, and self-rated health (Costa et al., 2014;Taylor et al., 2009;Weiss & Costa, 2005).”
  • Some studies demonstrate protective benefits to neuroticism, and it is possible for worrying and vigilance to be healthy in the right context.

    “Friedman (2019) is quick to point out that some studies demonstrate protective benefits to neuroticism (Weiss & Costa, 2005), and it is possible for worrying and vigilance to be healthy in the right context.”
  • Agreeableness does impact mortality rates, but this effect has only been found in samples with adults aged 65 and older and in conjunction with high conscientiousness.

    “Agreeableness does impact mortality rates, but this effect has only been found in samples with adults aged 65 and older and in conjunction with high conscientiousness (Costa et al., 2014;Weiss & Costa, 2005).”
  • In major longitudinal studies looking at all life mortality, extraversion did not have a significant effect.

    “However, in major longitudinal studies looking at all life mortality, extraversion did not have a significant effect (Costa et al., 2014;Taylor et al., 2009;Weiss & Costa, 2005).”
  • Conscientiousness appears to be a protective factor and neuroticism a risk factor, although neuroticism is occasionally associated with reduced risk.

    “Conscientiousness appears to a protective factor and neuroticism, a risk factor, although neuroticism is occasionally associated with reduced risk (13-15).”

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Authors
Weiss, A., & Costa, P. T.
Affiliations
National Institutes of Health (US)
Corresponding author
Weiss, Alexander
Venue
Psychosomatic Medicine
Published
2005-09
Volume
67
Issue
5
Pages
724-733
ISSN
0033-3174 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W1965023995
Cited by
311
References
37
Citations by year
2026: 3 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 10 · 2021: 10 · 2020: 57 · 2019: 9 · 2018: 10 · 2017: 13 · 2016: 13 · 2015: 13 · 2014: 17 · 2013: 22 · 2012: 29
FWCI
13.11
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Psychosomatic Medicine (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Personality Traits and Psychology
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology › Aging and Gerontology Research
  • Social Sciences › Health › Health disparities and outcomes
Keywords
personality, all-cause mortality, Big Five personality traits, conscientiousness, neuroticism, agreeableness, extraversion, openness to experience, personality facets, impulsivity, self-control, older adults, frail elderly, Medicare beneficiaries, protective factors
MeSH terms
Activities of Daily Living, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Factor Analysis, Statistical, Medicare, Humans, Longitudinal Studies, MMPI, Models, Psychological, Mortality, Personality, Personality Inventory, Survival Analysis, Frail Elderly

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