Do We Become More Lonely With Age? A Coordinated Data Analysis of Nine Longitudinal Studies

Loneliness is a pervasive experience with adverse impacts on health and well-being. Despite its significance, notable gaps impede a full understanding of how loneliness changes across the adult life span and what factors influence these changes. To address this, we conducted a coordinated data analysis of nine longitudinal studies encompassing 128,118 participants ages 13 to 103 from over 20 countries. Using harmonized variables and models, we examined loneliness trajectories and predictors. Analyses revealed that loneliness follows a U-shaped curve, decreasing from young adulthood to midlife and increasing in older adulthood. These patterns were consistent across studies. Several baseline factors (i.e., sex, marital status, physical function, education) were linked to loneliness levels, but few moderated the loneliness trajectories. These findings highlight the dynamic nature of loneliness and underscore the need for targeted interventions to reduce social disparities throughout adulthood.

Valuing versus having: The contrary roles of valuing and having money and prestige on well-being

Using data from Midlife in the United States (N=3,767), this study investigates how believing having money or occupational prestige is important for a good life is associated with different aspects of well-being. Actual income was positively associated with sense of purpose, personal growth, self-acceptance, environmental mastery, and life satisfaction, negatively associated with negative affect, and was not associated with autonomy, positive relations with others, or positive affect. Meanwhile, perceiving having enough money or extra money as important for a good life predicted poorer well-being across all nine well-being indicators. Occupational prestige was positively associated with sense of purpose, autonomy, personal growth, self-acceptance, environmental mastery, and life satisfaction, while perceiving having occupational prestige as important was negatively associated with autonomy, personal growth, self-acceptance, positive relations with others, and positively with negative affect. The discussion focuses on how desiring money or prestige can influence well-being beyond having-or not having-those desires.

Personality predictors of dementia diagnosis and neuropathological burden: An individual participant data meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

The extent to which the Big Five personality traits and subjective well-being (SWB) are discriminatory predictors of clinical manifestation of dementia versus dementia-related neuropathology is unclear.

METHODS

Using data from eight independent studies (Ntotal = 44,531; Ndementia = 1703; baseline Mage = 49 to 81 years, 26 to 61% female; Mfollow-up range = 3.53 to 21.00 years), Bayesian multilevel models tested whether personality traits and SWB differentially predicted neuropsychological and neuropathological characteristics of dementia.

RESULTS

Synthesized and individual study results indicate that high neuroticism and negative affect and low conscientiousness, extraversion, and positive affect were associated with increased risk of long-term dementia diagnosis. There were no consistent associations with neuropathology.

DISCUSSION

This multistudy project provides robust, conceptually replicated and extended evidence that psychosocial factors are strong predictors of dementia diagnosis but not consistently associated with neuropathology at autopsy.

HIGHLIGHTS

N(+), C(-), E(-), PA(-), and NA(+) were associated with incident diagnosis. Results were consistent despite self-report versus clinical diagnosis of dementia. Psychological factors were not associated with neuropathology at autopsy. Individuals with higher conscientiousness and no diagnosis had less neuropathology. High C individuals may withstand neuropathology for longer before death.

Approaches to protocol standardization and data harmonization in the ECHO-wide cohort study

The United States (U.S.) National Institutes of Health-funded Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO)-wide Cohort was established to conduct high impact, transdisciplinary science to improve child health and development. The cohort is a collaborative research design in which both extant and new data are contributed by over 57,000 children across 69 cohorts. In this review article, we focus on two key challenging issues in the ECHO-wide Cohort: data collection standardization and data harmonization. Data standardization using a Common Data Model and derived analytical variables based on a team science approach should facilitate timely analyses and reduce errors due to data misuse. However, given the complexity of collaborative research designs, such as the ECHO-wide Cohort, dedicated time is needed for harmonization and derivation of analytic variables. These activities need to be done methodically and with transparency to enhance research reproducibility. IMPACT: Many collaborative research studies require data harmonization either prior to analyses or in the analyses of compiled data. The Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Cohort pools extant data with new data collection from over 57,000 children in 69 cohorts to conduct high-impact, transdisciplinary science to improve child health and development, and to provide a national database and biorepository for use by the scientific community at-large. We describe the tools, systems, and approaches we employed to facilitate harmonized data for impactful analyses of child health outcomes.

The effects of socioeconomic status on personality development in adulthood and aging

INTRO

The current study examined the effects of adulthood socioeconomic status (SES) on levels of and changes in the Big Five personality traits domains and nuances in adulthood and during aging. We also tested whether the relations between adulthood SES and personality traits differed by childhood SES and age.

METHODS

Data were drawn from three longitudinal studies: the Swedish Adoption/Twin Study of Aging (SATSA, N = 2000), the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS, N = 6428), and the Health and Retirement Study (HRS, N = 23,238).

RESULTS

Using the latent growth models, across samples, we found associations between high SES and low levels of neuroticism and high levels of extraversion, openness, and conscientiousness. The effects of SES on changes in personality traits were mainly observed in the aging sample of HRS. In general, a similar pattern was observed at the nuance level. Analyses of the moderating effects of age suggested some evidence for the increasingly important role of SES in levels of and changes in personality traits in older ages.

CONCLUSION

The findings support SES as a source that partially accounts for individual differences in personality traits level. Some evidence was found for the relations between SES and changes in personality traits in old age.

Rural-urban differences in personality traits and well-being in adulthood

OBJECTIVE

One large focus of personality psychology is to understand the biopsychosocial factors responsible for adult personality development and well-being change. However, little is known about how macro-level contextual factors, such as rurality-urbanicity, are related to personality development and well-being change.

METHOD

The present study uses data from two large longitudinal studies of U.S. Americans (MIDUS, HRS) to examine whether there are rural-urban differences in levels and changes in the Big Five personality traits and well-being (i.e., psychological well-being, and life satisfaction) in adulthood.

RESULTS

Multilevel models showed that Americans who lived in more rural areas tended to have lower levels of openness, conscientiousness, and psychological well-being, and higher levels of neuroticism. With the exception of psychological well-being (which replicated across MIDUS and HRS), rural-urban differences in personality traits were only evident in the HRS sample. The effect of neuroticism was fully robust to the inclusion of socio-demographic and social network covariates, but other effects were partially robust (i.e., conscientiousness and openness) or were not robust at all (i.e., psychological well-being). In both samples, there were no rural-urban differences in Big Five or well-being change.

CONCLUSIONS

We discuss the implications of these findings for personality and rural health research.

Associations Between Generativity and Social Asymmetry Among Older Adults in Japan

OBJECTIVES

Loneliness and social isolation are major public health concerns among older adults in Japan. Generativity, the concern for and commitment to future generations, may buffer older adults from loneliness. This study examined the cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between generativity and social asymmetry (the discrepancy between social isolation and loneliness) among older adults in Japan.

METHODS

Data were from 2 waves (2008 and 2012) of the Midlife in Japan survey, a nationally representative longitudinal study of 645 adults aged 30-79 residing in the Tokyo metropolitan area. Generativity was measured using the 6-item Loyola Generativity Scale. Social asymmetry was computed as the residual score from regressing loneliness onto social isolation.

RESULTS

Higher generativity levels were associated with lower social asymmetry scores (B=-0.21, SE=0.04), but generativity change across waves did not predict social asymmetry 4 years later (B=-0.04, SE=0.06).

DISCUSSION

Generativity may play a protective role in buffering older adults from the adverse effects of social isolation on loneliness. Promoting generativity among older adults may be a potential intervention strategy to reduce loneliness and improve well-being in aging populations in Japan.

Longitudinal Associations Between Multimorbidities and Patient-Reported Quality of Life

OBJECTIVES

The global prevalence of multimorbidity is increasing as the population ages. As individuals get older, they are likely to develop multiple chronic conditions, and nearly two-thirds of older adults in the United States are estimated to experience 2 or more chronic conditions. The present preregistered study examined whether multimorbidity was associated with longitudinal changes in health-related quality of life (i.e., anxiety, depression, and physical function) and whether these associations were moderated by sociodemographic factors (i.e., sex, race, marital status, income, insurance, and education).

METHODS

Data come from the Health Literacy and Cognitive Function Among Older Adults Longitudinal Study (LitCog), a prospective cohort study of English-speaking older adults (N = 900). At each measurement occasion, participants reported anxiety, depression, and physical function using the Patient Reported Outcomes Information System, chronic conditions, and sociodemographic characteristics. We employed multilevel growth models to estimate changes in health-related quality of life, with multimorbidities as a predictor and sociodemographics as covariates.

RESULTS

Results indicated that individuals with multiple chronic conditions reported persistently high levels of anxiety and depression, and worse physical function. We found evidence for racial health disparities, such that individuals who identified as non-White experienced worse health-related quality of life as multimorbidities increased, relative to White participants.

DISCUSSION

These results contribute to the current conversation about the long-term impacts of structural and systemic barriers experienced by minoritized groups. We further discuss the public health implications of multimorbidity in older adulthood.

Longitudinal associations among the Big Five personality traits and healthcare utilization in the U.S

OBJECTIVE

One critical component of individual and public health is healthcare utilization, or the extent to which individuals have routine check-ups, schedule treatments, or use emergency services. However, we know little about who uses healthcare services and what types, the conditions that exacerbate utilization, or the factors that explain why people seek out services. The present study fills these gaps in the literature by investigating the role of personality factors in predicting various forms of healthcare utilization, how these associations vary by age, socioeconomic resources, and chronic conditions, as well as one potential psychological mediating mechanism (i.e., sense of control).

METHODS

We use data from a large longitudinal sample of Americans (N = 7108), with three assessments spanning 20 years. Participants reported on their Big Five personality traits using the Midlife Development Inventory, healthcare utilization across three domains (routine visits, scheduled treatment, urgent care), age, income, insurance, chronic conditions, and sense of control.

RESULTS

Multilevel models showed that people who were more agreeable and neurotic tended to use more healthcare services. Moreover, on occasions when people were more extraverted and open, they tended to use more healthcare services. There were several nuances in personality-healthcare utilization associations depending on the type of healthcare service, age, and socioeconomic resources. Longitudinal mediation analyses demonstrated sense of control as one mechanism linking personality traits to healthcare utilization in the U.S.

CONCLUSIONS

We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of interactions between individuals and structural systems for promoting the health of aging U.S. Americans.

Is there intergenerational continuity in early life experiences? Findings from the Harvard Study of Adult Development

There has been longstanding and widespread interdisciplinary interest in understanding intergenerational processes, or the extent to which conditions repeat themselves across generations. However, due to the difficulty of collecting longitudinal, multigenerational data on early life conditions, less is known about the extent to which offspring experience the same early life conditions that their parents experienced in their own early lives. Using data from a socioeconomically diverse, White U.S. American cohort of 1,312 offspring (50% female) and their fathers (N = 518 families), we address three primary questions: (1) To what extent is there intergenerational continuity in early life experiences (social class, home atmosphere, parent-child relationship quality, health)? (2) Is intergenerational continuity in early life experiences greater for some domains of experience compared to others? and (3) Are there person-level (offspring sex, birth order, perceptions of marital stability) and family-level factors (family size, father education level and education mobility, marital stability) that moderate intergenerational continuity? Multilevel models indicated that intergenerational continuity was particularly robust for childhood social class, but nonsignificant for other early life experiences. Further, intergenerational continuity was moderated by several family-level factors, such that families with higher father education/mobility and marital stability, tended to have offspring with the most optimal early life experiences, regardless of what their father experienced in early life. We discuss the broader theoretical implications for family systems, as well as practical implications for individual-level and family-level interventions. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

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).

Availability of Cognitive Resources in Early Life Predicts Transitions Between Cognitive States in Middle and Older Adults From Europe

Background and Objectives

The existing literature highlights the importance of reading books in middle-to-older adulthood for cognitive functioning; very few studies, however, have examined the importance of childhood cognitive resources for cognitive outcomes later in life.

Research Design and Methods

Using data from 11 countries included in the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) data set (N = 32,783), multistate survival models (MSMs) were fit to examine the importance of access to reading material in childhood on transitions through cognitive status categories (no cognitive impairment and impaired cognitive functioning) and death. Additionally, using the transition probabilities estimated by the MSMs, we estimated the remaining years of life without cognitive impairment and total longevity. All models were fit individually in each country, as well as within the pooled SHARE sample.

Results

Adjusting for age, sex, education, and childhood socioeconomic status, the overall pooled estimate indicated that access to more books at age 10 was associated with a decreased risk of developing cognitive impairment (adjusted hazard ratio = 0.79, confidence interval: 0.76-0.82). Access to childhood books was not associated with risk of transitioning from normal cognitive functioning to death, or from cognitive impairment to death. Total longevity was similar between participants reporting high (+1 standard deviation [SD]) and low (-1 SD) number of books in the childhood home; however, individuals with more access to childhood books lived a greater proportion of this time without cognitive impairment.

Discussion and Implications

Findings suggest that access to cognitive resources in childhood is protective for cognitive aging processes in older adulthood.

Personality traits and health care use: A coordinated analysis of 15 international samples

Some people use health care services more than others. Identifying factors associated with health care use has the potential to improve the effectiveness, efficiency, and equity of health care. In line with the Andersen behavioral model of health care utilization and initial empirical findings, personality traits may be key predisposing factors associated with health care use. Across 15 samples, the present study examined cross-sectional and prospective associations between Big Five personality traits and the likelihood of dental visits, general medical practitioner visits, and hospitalizations. Using coordinated data analysis, we estimated models within each of 15 samples individually (sample Ns ranged from 516 to 305,762), and then calculated weighted mean effect sizes using random-effects meta-analysis across samples (total N = 358,803). According to the synthesized results, people higher in conscientiousness, agreeableness, extraversion, and openness, and lower in neuroticism were more likely to visit the dentist; people higher in neuroticism were more likely to visit general medical practitioners; and people lower in conscientiousness and agreeableness and higher in neuroticism were more likely to be hospitalized. Associations tended to be small with odds ratios around 1.20 (rs ≈ .05). These findings provide evidence across 15 international samples for small but consistent associations between personality traits and health care use and demonstrate that personality-health care associations differ by type of care. We discuss directions for future research, including examining more specific personality facets (e.g., productiveness vs. responsibility) as well as important dimensions of health care (e.g., preventative vs. reactive care; acute vs. chronic care). (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Associations for Sense of Purpose with Smoking and Health Outcomes Among Adults with Diabetes

BACKGROUND

Health complications from diabetes place major strain on individuals, financially and emotionally. The onset and severity of these complications are largely driven by patients' behaviors, making psychosocial factors that influence behaviors key targets for interventions. One promising factor is sense of purpose or the degree to which a person believes their life has direction.

METHOD

The current study investigated whether sense of purpose predicts self-rated health, cardiovascular disease, and smoking status among adults with diabetes concurrently and prospectively. Moreover, it tested whether these associations held across multiple samples and cultures. Coordinated analysis using 12 datasets cross-sectionally and eight longitudinally (total N = 7277) estimated the degree to which sense of purpose is associated with subjective health, smoking status, and cardiovascular disease among adults with diabetes. Coordinated analysis allows for greater generalizability of results across cultures, time periods, and measurement instruments. Datasets were included if they concurrently included a measure of sense of purpose and diabetes status and at least one health measure: self-rated health, current smoking status, or heart condition status.

RESULTS

Sense of purpose was associated with higher self-rated health, smoking status, and cardiovascular disease cross-sectionally and self-rated health prospectively. Purpose was unassociated with changes in health over time.

CONCLUSION

These results highlight the relationship of a key individual difference, sense of purpose, to the behaviors and outcomes of adults with diabetes. While more research is needed to determine the boundaries of this relationship, it seems sense of purpose may be considered in the future as a potential target for intervention.

Emotional responses to a global stressor: Average patterns and individual differences

Major stressors often challenge emotional well-being-increasing negative emotions and decreasing positive emotions. But how long do these emotional hits last? Prior theory and research contain conflicting views. Some research suggests that most individuals' emotional well-being will return to, or even surpass, baseline levels relatively quickly. Others have challenged this view, arguing that this type of resilient response is uncommon. The present research provides a strong test of resilience theory by examining emotional trajectories over the first 6 months of the COVID-19 pandemic. In two pre-registered longitudinal studies (total N =1147), we examined average emotional trajectories and predictors of individual differences in emotional trajectories across 13 waves of data from February through September 2020. The pandemic had immediate detrimental effects on average emotional well-being. Across the next 6 months, average negative emotions returned to baseline levels with the greatest improvements occurring almost immediately. Yet, positive emotions remained depleted relative to baseline levels, illustrating the limits of typical resilience. Individuals differed substantially around these average emotional trajectories and these individual differences were predicted by socio-demographic characteristics and stressor exposure. We discuss theoretical implications of these findings that we hope will contribute to more nuanced approaches to studying, understanding, and improving emotional well-being following major stressors.

Associations Between Loneliness and Cognitive Resilience to Neuropathology in Older Adults

OBJECTIVES

Loneliness in the aging population is associated with decreased cognitive function and increased neuropathology; less is understood about the association of loneliness and cognitive resilience (CR), defined as the discordance between a person's actual and expected cognition given their neuropathology. Here we assess the effect of loneliness and change in loneliness on CR at end of life and across older adulthood.

METHODS

Data were combined from 2 longitudinal studies of older adults. CR proximate to death (CRlast_level) and across time (CRslope) was obtained by independently regressing global cognition and change in cognition onto multiple neuropathology indicators and extracting the resulting residuals. We used a series of simple linear regression models to assess the effect of loneliness level and change on CRlast_level and CRslope.

RESULTS

Higher baseline loneliness was associated with lower CRlast_level (β = -0.11, 95% confidence interval [95% CI; -0.18, -0.04], p < .01); higher baseline loneliness and increasing loneliness over time was associated with lower CRslope (β = -0.13, 95% CI [-0.22, -0.05], p < .01 and β = -0.12, 95% CI [-0.20, -0.04], p < .01, respectively). Results were robust to covariate inclusion and independent of objective social isolation.

DISCUSSION

Higher and increasing loneliness was associated with lower CR in the face of neuropathology. These results suggest that some individuals are less resilient to the accumulation of neuropathology than others, and experiencing high/increasing loneliness is a key factor putting some at risk. Interventions aimed at optimizing cognitive function across older adults should include loneliness reduction as a potential area of focus.

Medical Oncologists' Knowledge and Perspectives on the Use of Biosimilars in the United States

PURPOSE

Despite increasing availability of biosimilar cancer treatments, little is known about oncologists' knowledge and concerns regarding biosimilar use in the United States. We surveyed medical oncologists to examine their knowledge, attitudes, and experience with biosimilars.

METHODS

Oncologists recruited via the ASCO Research Survey Pool completed a 29-question survey in 2020 designed with input from clinical and health care system experts and literature review.

RESULTS

Of the 269 respondents, most treated patients with biosimilars (n = 236, 88%) and reported that biosimilars were required at their institution (n = 168, 63%). Approximately half (n = 140, 52%) of oncologists correctly responded that biosimilars were not the same as generic medicines. Commonly reported barriers to use of biosimilars included concerns regarding a perceived lack of relevant research (n = 85, 33% reporting quite a bit/very much), the potential for extrapolation (n = 83, 33%), and efficacy limitations (n = 77, 30%). More oncologists from university hospitals (n = 36, 22%) than from community/private hospitals (n = 28, 38%) or private practices (n = 13, 38%) were concerned about biosimilar efficacy. A high proportion of oncologists reported that information on safety (n = 259, 99%) and efficacy (n = 255, 99%) is important when considering whether to use biosimilars. Less than half reported that their institution provided education about biosimilars (n = 108, 40%).

CONCLUSION

In this sample of medical oncologists, knowledge about basic features of biosimilars was limited and access to information about biosimilars was insufficient. The present study determined that educational programs on biosimilars for oncologists are needed and identified priorities for such efforts.

Well-Being and Cognitive Resilience to Dementia-Related Neuropathology

Not all older adults with dementia-related neuropathology in their brains experience cognitive decline or impairment. Instead, some people maintain relatively normal cognitive functioning despite neuropathologic burden, a phenomenon called cognitive resilience. Using a longitudinal, epidemiological, clinical-pathologic cohort study of older adults in the United States (N = 348), the present research investigated associations between well-being and cognitive resilience. Consistent with preregistered hypotheses, results showed that higher eudaimonic well-being (measured via the Ryff Psychological Well-Being Scale) and higher hedonic well-being (measured via the Satisfaction with Life Scale) were associated with better-than-expected cognitive functioning relative to one's neuropathological burden (i.e., beta-amyloid, neurofibrillary tangles, Lewy bodies, vascular pathologies, hippocampal sclerosis, and TDP-43). The association of eudaimonic well-being in particular was present above and beyond known cognitive resilience factors (i.e., socioeconomic status, education, cognitive activity, low neuroticism, low depression) and dementia risk factors (i.e., apolipoprotein E [ApoE] genotype, medical comorbidities). This research highlights the importance of considering eudaimonic well-being in efforts to prevent dementia.

How do financial incentives in parenting skills programs effect engagement and outcomes? A systematic review and meta-analysis protocol

OBJECTIVE

This systematic review will investigate the effects of financial incentives on engagement with and outcomes of evidence-based parenting skills programs to prevent and treat disruptive behavior disorders.

INTRODUCTION

Evidence-based parenting skills programs are a first-line treatment in disruptive behavior disorders (ie, oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder), but fewer than half of referred parents complete these programs. When untreated, children affected by disruptive behavior disorders are at elevated risk for incarceration, drug misuse, and education under-performance. Financial incentives can improve parents' engagement with parenting skills programs and are increasingly popular strategies in public health policy to increase rates of compliance with health interventions. However, no previous systematic review or meta-analysis of financial incentives in parenting skills programs has been conducted.

INCLUSION CRITERIA

Randomized controlled trials or quasi-experimental studies (ie, studies with a control group allocated through a non-random process) testing the effects of financial incentives on engagement will be included. Study participants must be in a guardian role to a person under 18 years of age. There will be no restrictions on country setting. Only English-language publications will be included.

METHODS

We will search PubMed, CINAHL, Sociological Abstracts, Cochrane Trials, and PsycINFO databases for relevant articles. Two independent reviewers will screen abstracts for eligibility. Data will be extracted from eligible articles by 2 researchers and results will be presented in tabular and narrative format, along with a meta-analysis using a random effects model and assessment of heterogeneity.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION NUMBER

PROSPERO CRD42022336210.

Optimism, Daily Stressors, and Emotional Well-Being Over Two Decades in a Cohort of Aging Men

OBJECTIVES

Growing evidence supports optimism as a health asset, yet how optimism influences well-being and health remains uncertain. We evaluated 1 potential pathway-the association of optimism with daily stress processes-and tested 2 hypotheses. The stressor exposure hypothesis posits that optimism would preserve emotional well-being by limiting exposure to daily stressors. The buffering hypothesis posits that higher optimism would be associated with lower emotional reactivity to daily stressors and more effective emotional recovery from them.

METHODS

Participants were 233 men from the Veterans Affairs Normative Aging Study who completed the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 Revised Optimism-Pessimism scale in 1986/1991 and participated in up to three 8-day daily diary bursts in 2002-2010 (age at first burst: M = 76.7, SD = 6.5). Daily stressor occurrence, positive affect (PA), and negative affect (NA) were assessed nightly. We evaluated the hypotheses using multilevel structural equation models.

RESULTS

Optimism was unrelated to emotional reactivity to or recovery from daily stressors. Higher optimism was associated with higher average daily PA (B = 2.31, 95% Bayesian credible interval [BCI]: 1.24, 3.38) but not NA, independent of stressor exposure. Lower stressor exposure mediated the association of higher optimism with lower daily NA (indirect effect: B = -0.27, 95% BCI: -0.50, -0.09), supporting the stressor exposure hypothesis.

DISCUSSION

Findings from a sample of older men suggest that optimism may be associated with more favorable emotional well-being in later life through differences in stressor exposure rather than emotional stress response. Optimism may preserve emotional well-being among older adults by engaging emotion regulation strategies that occur relatively early in the emotion-generative process.

Personality and health: Disentangling their between-person and within-person relationship in three longitudinal studies

Personality traits and physical health both change over the life span. Theoretical models and empirical evidence suggest that these changes are related. The current study investigated the dynamic relations between personality traits and physical health at both the between-person and the within-person levels. Data were drawn from three longitudinal studies: the Veterans Affairs Normative Aging Study (NAS; N = 1,734), the Longitudinal Internet Studies for the Social Sciences (LISS; N = 13,559), and the Swedish Adoption/Twin Study of Aging (SATSA, N = 2,209). Using random intercept cross-lagged panel models (RI-CLPMs) and the continuous time (CT) models, after controlling the between-person variance, generally, evidence was found for bidirectional associations between changes in neuroticism and extraversion and changes in self-rated health and general disease level. Bidirectional associations between changes in neuroticism and change in cardiovascular diseases and central nervous system diseases were observed only when time was modeled as continuous. We also found within-person associations between changes in neuroticism and extraversion and changes in performance-based ratings of motor functioning impairment. According to the current findings, the dynamic within-person relations between personality traits and health outcomes were largely in the direction consistent with their between-person connections, although the within-person relationships were substantially smaller in strength when compared their between-person counterparts. Findings from the current study highlight the importance of distinguishing between-person and within-person effects when examining the longitudinal relationship between personality traits and health. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Challenges and opportunities in preregistration of coordinated data analysis: A tutorial and template

The credibility revolution in social science has led to the recommendation and adoption of practices to increase the replicability of scientific findings. Many of the recommended practices, such as replication and preregistration, present unique challenges for aging research given its reliance on long-term longitudinal data. In this tutorial, we propose preregistered coordinated data analysis as a promising approach that involves both replication and preregistration, but that overcomes the aforementioned challenges by using existing data. We discuss the benefits of preregistering coordinated data analysis and provide an add-on template to be used in conjunction with existing preregistration templates for preregistering coordinated data analysis. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Data overuse in aging research: Emerging issues and potential solutions

Aging and lifespan development researchers have been fortunate to have public access to many longitudinal datasets. These data are valuable and see high utilization, yet this has a considerable downside. Many of these are heavily overused. Overuse of publicly available datasets creates dependency among published research papers giving the false impression of independent contributions to knowledge by reporting the same associations over multiple papers. This is a potentially serious problem in the aging literature given the high use of a relatively small number of well-known studies. Any irregularities or sampling biases in this relatively small number of samples have outsize influence on perceived answers to key aging questions. We detail this problem, focusing on issues of dependency among studies, sampling bias and overfitting, and contradictory estimates of the same effect from the same data in independent publications. We provide solutions, including greater use of data sharing, pre-registrations, holdout samples, split-sample cross-validation, and coordinated analysis. We argue these valuable datasets are public resources that are being diminished by overuse, with parallels in environmental science. Taking a conservation perspective, we hold that these practices (pre-registration, holdout samples) can preserve data resources for future generations of researchers. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Coordinated data analysis: Knowledge accumulation in lifespan developmental psychology

Coordinated analysis is a powerful form of integrative analysis, and is well suited in its capacity to promote cumulative scientific knowledge, particularly in subfields of psychology that focus on the processes of lifespan development and aging. Coordinated analysis uses raw data from individual studies to create similar hypothesis tests for a given research question across multiple datasets, thereby making it less vulnerable to common criticisms of meta-analysis such as file drawer effects or publication bias. Coordinated analysis can sometimes use random effects meta-analysis to summarize results, which does not assume a single true effect size for a given statistical test. By fitting parallel models in separate datasets, coordinated analysis preserves the heterogeneity among studies, and provides a window into the generalizability and external validity of a set of results. The current article achieves three goals: First, it describes the phases of a coordinated analysis so that interested researchers can more easily adopt these methods in their labs. Second, it discusses the importance of coordinated analysis within the context of the credibility revolution in psychology. Third, it encourages the use of existing data networks and repositories for conducting coordinated analysis, in order to enhance accessibility and inclusivity. Subfields of research that require time- or resource- intensive data collection, such as longitudinal aging research, would benefit by adopting these methods. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Personality predictors of cognitive dispersion: A coordinated analysis of data from seven international studies of older adults

OBJECTIVES

Dispersion in cognitive test performance within a single testing session is proposed as an early marker of poor brain health. Existing research, however, has not investigated factors that may explain individual differences in cognitive dispersion. We investigate the extent to which the Big Five personality traits are associated with cognitive dispersion in older adulthood.

METHOD

To promote transparency and reliability, we applied preregistration and conceptual replication via coordinated analysis. Drawing data from seven longitudinal studies of aging (N_total = 33,581; M_age range = 56.4-71.2), cognitive dispersion scores were derived from cognitive test results. Independent linear regression models were fit in each study to examine personality traits as predictors of dispersion scores, adjusting for mean cognitive performance and sociodemographics (age, sex, education). Results from individual studies were synthesized using random effects meta-analyses.

RESULTS

Synthesized results revealed that openness was positively associated with cognitive dispersion, 0.028, 95% CI [0.003, 0.054]. There was minimal evidence for associations between cognitive dispersion and the other personality traits in independent analyses or meta-analyses. Mean cognitive scores were negatively associated with cognitive dispersion across the majority of studies, while sociodemographic variables were not consistently associated with cognitive dispersion.

CONCLUSION

Higher levels of openness were associated with greater cognitive dispersion across seven independent samples, indicating that individuals higher in openness had more dispersion across cognitive tests. Further research is needed to investigate mechanisms that may help to explain the link between openness and cognitive dispersion, as well as to identify additional individual factors, beyond personality traits, that may be associated with cognitive dispersion. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Personality predictors of emergency department post-discharge outcomes

Personality traits are important predictors of health behaviors, healthcare utilization, and health outcomes. However, we know little about the role of personality traits for emergency department outcomes. The present study used data from 200 patients (effective Ns range from 84 to 191), who were being discharged from the emergency department at an urban hospital, to investigate whether the Big Five personality traits were associated with post-discharge outcomes (i.e., filling prescriptions, following up with primary care physician, making an unscheduled return to the emergency department). Using logistic regression, we found few associations among the broad Big Five domains and post-discharge outcomes. However, results showed statistically significant associations between specific Big Five items (e.g., “responsible”) and the three post-discharge outcomes. This study demonstrates the feasibility of assessing personality traits in an emergency medicine setting and highlights the utility of having information about patients’ personality tendencies for predicting post-discharge compliance.

The Roles of General and Domain-Specific Perceived Stress in Healthy Aging

OBJECTIVES

Theoretical and empirical evidence suggests the existence of a general perceived stress factor overarching different life domains. The present study investigated the general perceived stress relative to domain-specific perceived stress as predictors of 26 diverse health outcomes, including mental and physical health, health behaviors, cognitive functioning, and physiological indicators of health.

METHOD

A bifactor exploratory structural equational modelling (BiESEM) approach was adopted in two aging samples from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS; N = 8325 in Sample 1, N = 7408 in Sample 2).

RESULTS

Across the two samples, perceived stress was well-represented by a bifactor structure where there was a robust general perceived stress factor representing a general propensity towards stress perception. Meanwhile, after controlling for the general perceived stress factor, specific factors that represent perceived stress in different life domains were still clearly present. Results also suggested age, sex, race, education, personality traits, and past and recent stressor exposure as possible factors underlying individual differences in the general perceived stress factor. The general perceived stress factor was the most robust predictor of the majority of health outcomes, as well as changes in mental health outcomes. The specific factor of perceived neighborhood stress demonstrated incremental predictive effects across different types of health outcomes.

DISCUSSION

The current study provides strong evidence for the existence of a general perceived stress factor that captures variance shared among stress across life domains, and the general perceived stress factor demonstrated substantial prospective predictive effects on diverse health outcomes in older adulthood.

A coordinated analysis of the associations among personality traits, cognitive decline, and dementia in older adulthood

There are individual differences in the rates of cognitive decline across later adulthood. Personality traits are among the factors that may account for these differences. The current project investigated whether personality traits were associated with trajectories of cognitive decline, and whether the associations were different before and after dementia diagnosis. The data was analyzed using linear mixed effects regression. Across study aims is a focus on replicability and generalizability. Each question was addressed in four independent longitudinal studies (EAS, MAP, ROS, SATSA), then meta-analyzed, providing estimates of replicability. Results indicated that low neuroticism and high openness were associated with total cognitive function. We detected evidence for cognitive decline in all four samples, and openness was associated with decline post dementia diagnosis.

Maintaining sense of purpose in midlife predicts better physical health

OBJECTIVE

Having a sense of purpose in life is fundamental to psychological and physical well-being. Despite the benefits of purpose, it may be difficult to hold onto purpose as people age. The present research addressed four aims: (1) to estimate average change in sense of purpose during midlife; (2) to test associations between purpose levels and later physical health; (3) to test associations between purpose change and later physical health; (4) to examine the cross-cultural generalizability of findings.

METHODS

We used reliable change indices to estimate change in sense of purpose during midlife in three prospective cohorts: one comprised predominately of White participants in the U.S. (N = 2692), a second predominately of African American participants in the U.S. (N = 248), and a third of Japanese participants in Tokyo (N = 644). Next, we used linear regression to examine associations between purpose levels and purpose change and later self-reported general health and chronic health conditions.

RESULTS

At the group level, purpose declined slightly across time (Cohen's ds = -0.08 to -0.17). At the individual level, 10-14% of participants reliably decreased in purpose, whereas only 6-8% of participants reliably increased in purpose. Consistent with our preregistered hypotheses, higher purpose levels predicted better health in the two larger samples (βs = 0.10-0.18, small effects) and more positive purpose change predicted better health in all three samples (βs = 0.08--0.22., small to medium effects).

CONCLUSION

Together, these findings suggest that both having a sense of purpose and holding onto it may be important for physical health in middle to older adulthood.

The Health Behavior Model of Personality in the Context of a Public Health Crisis

OBJECTIVE

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended behavioral measures to slow the spread of COVID-19, such as social distancing and wearing masks. Although many individuals comply with these recommendations, compliance has been far from universal. Identifying predictors of compliance is crucial for improving health behavior messaging and thereby reducing disease spread and fatalities.

METHODS

We report preregistered analyses from a longitudinal study that investigated personality predictors of compliance with behavioral recommendations in diverse US adults across five waves from March to August 2020 (n = 596) and cross-sectionally in August 2020 (n = 405).

RESULTS

Agreeableness-characterized by compassion-was the most consistent predictor of compliance, above and beyond other traits, and sociodemographic predictors (sample A, β = 0.25; sample B, β = 0.12). The effect of agreeableness was robust across two diverse samples and sensitivity analyses. In addition, openness, conscientiousness, and extraversion were also associated with greater compliance, but effects were less consistent across sensitivity analyses and were smaller in sample A.

CONCLUSIONS

Individuals who are less agreeable are at higher risk for noncompliance with behavioral mandates, suggesting that health messaging can be meaningfully improved with approaches that address these individuals in particular. These findings highlight the strong theoretical and practical utility of testing long-standing psychological theories during real-world crises.

Associations Between Personality Traits and Cognitive Resilience in Older Adults

OBJECTIVES

The goal of this paper was to examine associations between personality traits and resilience to neuropathologic burden.

METHOD

Using data from the Religious Orders Study and the Rush Memory and Aging Project, we identified a total of 1,375 participants with personality, cognitive, and post-mortem neuropathology data. We regressed cognition onto pathology and extracted the residuals as an indicator of cognitive resilience. We then modeled the effect of Big Five personality traits on cognitive resilience, adjusting for demographics, APOE status, medical comorbidities, and cognitive activity. The analytic plan was preregistered prior to data access or analysis, and all scripts and outputs are available online.

RESULTS

Higher neuroticism was associated with greater vulnerability to pathology. Results from exploratory analyses suggest that higher conscientiousness was associated with less cognitive decline relative to the amount of pathology, or greater resilience. Education and cognitive activity did not moderate these associations.

DISCUSSION

Personality may have a pathoplastic effect on neuropathology, as low neuroticism and high conscientiousness are associated with better function despite neuropathologic burden.

Why Has Personality Psychology Played an Outsized Role in the Credibility Revolution?

Personality is not the most popular subfield of psychology. But, in one way or another, personality psychologists have played an outsized role in the ongoing "credibility revolution" in psychology. Not only have individual personality psychologists taken on visible roles in the movement, but our field's practices and norms have now become models for other fields to emulate (or, for those who share Baumeister's (2016, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2016.02.003) skeptical view of the consequences of increasing rigor, a model for what to avoid). In this article we discuss some unique features of our field that may have placed us in an ideal position to be leaders in this movement. We do so from a subjective perspective, describing our impressions and opinions about possible explanations for personality psychology's disproportionate role in the credibility revolution. We also discuss some ways in which personality psychology remains less-than-optimal, and how we can address these flaws.

Is there a relationship between personality traits and fruit and vegetable intake among pregnant women?

Previous studies have shown that certain personality traits such as neuroticism and conscientiousness influence dietary choices. Pregnancy is a unique period in a woman’s life during which most women are highly intrinsically and extrinsically motivated to start a diet rich in fruit and vegetables. Yet, an adequate consumption of fruits and vegetables remains a challenge for many women. The present study investigates the relationships between personality traits and fish, dairy, fruit, and vegetable intake. Data was collected from 602 pregnant women and analyzed using descriptive statistics and hierarchical regression analyses in order to examine predictive relationships between the variables of interest. The results demonstrated that high scores in openness to experience, older maternal age, higher income, and educational attainment were positively associated with increased fish, vegetable, and fruit intake. These findings have important implications for interventions that seek to improve eating behaviors of pregnant women, thereby increasing the health of their pregnancies.

Dimension- and context-specific expression of preschoolers' disruptive behaviors associated with prenatal tobacco exposure

OBJECTIVE

Precise phenotypic characterization of prenatal tobacco exposure (PTE)-related disruptive behavior (DB) that integrates nuanced measures of both exposures and outcomes is optimal for elucidating underlying mechanisms. Using this approach, our goals were to identify dimensions of DB most sensitive to PTE prior to school entry and assess contextual variation in these dimensions.

METHODS

A community obstetric sample of N = 369 women (79.2% lifetime smokers; 70.2% pregnancy smokers) from two Midwestern cities were assessed for PTE using cotinine-calibrated interview-based reports at 16, 28, and 40 weeks of gestation. A subset of n = 244 who completed observational assessments with their 5-year-old children in a subsequent preschool follow-up study constitute the analytic sample. Using two developmentally-meaningful dimensions previously associated with emergent clinical risk for DB-irritability and noncompliance-we assessed children with 2 parent-report scales: the Multidimensional Assessment Profile of Disruptive Behavior (MAP-DB) and the Early Childhood Inventory (ECI). We also assessed children by direct observation across 3 interactional contexts with the Disruptive Behavior Diagnostic Observation Schedule (DB-DOS). We used generalized linear models to examine between-child variability across behavioral dimensions, and mixed effects models to examine directly observed within-child variability by interactional context.

RESULTS

Increasing PTE predicted increasing impairment in preschoolers' modulation of negative affect (irritability), but not negative behavior (noncompliance) across reported (MAP-DB) and observed (DB-DOS) dimensional measures. Moreover, children's PTE-related irritability was more pronounced when observed with parents than with the examiner. The ECI did not detect PTE-related irritability nor noncompliance.

CONCLUSIONS

Nuanced, dimension- and context-specific characterization of PTE-related DB described can optimize early identification of at-risk children.

Is Healthy Neuroticism Associated with Chronic Conditions? A Coordinated Integrative Data Analysis

Early investigations of the neuroticism by conscientiousness interaction with regards to health have been promising, but to date, there have been no systematic investigations of this interaction that account for the various personality measurement instruments, varying populations, or aspects of health. The current study - the second of three - uses a coordinated analysis approach to test the impact of the neuroticism by conscientiousness interaction on the prevalence and incidence of chronic conditions. Using 15 pre-existing longitudinal studies (N > 49,375), we found that conscientiousness did not moderate the relationship between neuroticism and having hypertension (OR = 1.00,95%CI[0.98,1.02]), diabetes (OR = 1.02[0.99,1.04]), or heart disease (OR = 0.99[0.97,1.01]). Similarly, we found that conscientiousness did not moderate the prospective relationship between neuroticism and onset of hypertension (OR = 0.98,[0.95,1.01]), diabetes (OR = 0.99[0.94,1.05]), or heart disease (OR = 0.98[0.94,1.03]). Heterogeneity of effect sizes was largely nonsignificant, with one exception, indicating that the effects are consistent between datasets. Overall, we conclude that there is no evidence that healthy neuroticism, operationalized as the conscientiousness by neuroticism interaction, buffers against chronic conditions.

Is Healthy Neuroticism Associated with Longevity? A Coordinated Integrative Data Analysis

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 N = 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.

Comparing the Predictive Validity of Trait Affect and Average Daily Affect for the Prospective Prediction of Health Outcomes

In preregistered secondary data analyses, we compared the predictive utility of trait affect and average daily affect for predicting three health outcomes across nine years (N = 1,376). Trait positive and negative affect were assessed using a 25-item dispositional questionnaire. Average daily affect was assessed as the mean of eight daily diary reports of the same items. Trait affect and average daily affect both had medium associations with self-reported general health and chronic health conditions. Moreover, both types of affect predicted mortality when adjusting for baseline health and demographics. Effect sizes were comparable for trait compared to daily affect. These findings demonstrate convergent predictive validity of trait and daily affect measures.

Are personality traits associated with smoking and alcohol use prior to and during pregnancy?

Cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption during pregnancy can have detrimental effects on the developing fetus, including fetal alcohol syndrome and low birth weight. Surprisingly little is known about the association of personality traits with smoking and alcohol consumption in the specific subpopulation of pregnant women. This study analyzed data from a geographically diverse sample of 603 pregnant women, aged 18 years and older, who provided information regarding their smoking and drinking habits before and during pregnancy. We compared women who consumed alcohol or smoked cigarettes before pregnancy with women who quit or continued smoking or drinking during pregnancy. Associations between personality and maladaptive behaviors prior to and during pregnancy were modeled using logistic regression. The study revealed that women who scored high on openness to experience were significantly more likely to continue alcohol consumption during pregnancy (OR = 1.07, 95% CI 1.01, 1.14, p = .02). This association was maintained after adjusting for potential confounds. This study demonstrated a significant relationship between personality traits and women's likelihood of continued alcohol consumption prior to and during pregnancy. Understanding personality-based determinants of health-detrimental behavior is important in order to design interventions that aim at decreasing rates of maladaptive health behaviors among pregnant women.

Identifying Modifiable Predictors of Patient Outcomes After Intracerebral Hemorrhage with Machine Learning

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE

Demonstrating a benefit of acute treatment to patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) requires identifying which patients have a potentially modifiable outcome, where treatment could favorably shift a patient's expected outcome. A decision rule for which patients have a modifiable outcome could improve the targeting of treatments. We sought to determine which patients with ICH have a modifiable outcome.

METHODS

Patients with ICH were prospectively identified at two institutions. Data on hematoma volumes, medication histories, and other variables of interest were collected. ICH outcomes were evaluated using the modified Rankin Scale (mRS), assessed at 14 days and 3 months after ICH, with "good outcome" defined as 0-3 (independence or better) and "poor outcome" defined as 4-6 (dependence or worse). Supervised machine learning models identified the best predictors of good versus poor outcomes at Institution 1. Models were validated using repeated fivefold cross-validation as well as testing on the entirely independent sample at Institution 2. Model fit was assessed with area under the ROC curve (AUC).

RESULTS

Model performance at Institution 1 was strong for both 14-day (AUC of 0.79 [0.77, 0.81] for decision tree, 0.85 [0.84, 0.87] for random forest) and 3 month (AUC of 0.75 [0.73, 0.77] for decision tree, 0.82 [0.80, 0.84] for random forest) outcomes. Independent predictors of functional outcome selected by the algorithms as important included hematoma volume at hospital admission, hematoma expansion, intraventricular hemorrhage, overall ICH Score, and Glasgow Coma Scale. Hematoma expansion was the only potentially modifiable independent predictor of outcome and was compatible with "good" or "poor" outcome in a subset of patients with low hematoma volumes, good Glasgow Coma scale and premorbid modified Rankin Scale scores. Models trained on harmonized data also predicted patient outcomes well at Institution 2 using decision tree (AUC 0.69 [0.63, 0.75]) and random forests (AUC 0.78 [0.72, 0.84]).

CONCLUSIONS

Patient outcomes are predictable to a high level in patients with ICH, and hematoma expansion is the sole-modifiable predictor of these outcomes across two outcome types and modeling approaches. According to decision tree analyses predicting outcome at 3 months, patients with a high Glasgow Coma Scale score, less than 44.5 mL hematoma volume at admission, and relatively low premorbid modified Rankin Score in particular have a modifiable outcome and appear to be candidates for future interventions to improve outcomes after ICH.

Trajectories of Big Five Personality Traits: A Coordinated Analysis of 16 Longitudinal Samples

This study assessed change in self-reported Big Five personality traits. We conducted a coordinated integrative data analysis using data from 16 longitudinal samples, comprising a total sample of over 60 000 participants. We coordinated models across multiple datasets and fit identical multi-level growth models to assess and compare the extent of trait change over time. Quadratic change was assessed in a subset of samples with four or more measurement occasions. Across studies, the linear trajectory models revealed declines in conscientiousness, extraversion, and openness. Non-linear models suggested late-life increases in neuroticism. Meta-analytic summaries indicated that the fixed effects of personality change are somewhat heterogeneous and that the variability in trait change is partially explained by sample age, country of origin, and personality measurement method. We also found mixed evidence for predictors of change, specifically for sex and baseline age. This study demonstrates the importance of coordinated conceptual replications for accelerating the accumulation of robust and reliable findings in the lifespan developmental psychological sciences.

Increases in Neuroticism May Be an Early Indicator of Dementia: A Coordinated Analysis

OBJECTIVES

Although personality change is typically considered a symptom of dementia, some studies suggest that personality change may be an early indication of dementia. One prospective study found increases in neuroticism preceding dementia diagnosis (Yoneda, T., Rush, J., Berg, A. I., Johansson, B., & Piccinin, A. M. (2017). Trajectories of personality traits preceding dementia diagnosis. The Journals of Gerontology. Series B, Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 72, 922-931. doi:10.1093/geronb/gbw006). This study extends this research by examining trajectories of personality traits in additional longitudinal studies of aging.

METHODS

Three independent series of latent growth curve models were fitted to data from the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam and Einstein Aging Study to estimate trajectories of personality traits in individuals with incident dementia diagnosis (total N = 210), in individuals with incident Mild Cognitive Impairment (N = 135), and in individuals who did not receive a diagnosis during follow-up periods (total N = 1740).

RESULTS

Controlling for sex, age, education, depressive symptoms, and the interaction between age and education, growth curve analyses consistently revealed significant linear increases in neuroticism preceding dementia diagnosis in both datasets and in individuals with mild cognitive impairment. Analyses examining individuals without a diagnosis revealed nonsignificant change in neuroticism overtime.

DISCUSSION

Replication of our previous work in 2 additional datasets provides compelling evidence that increases in neuroticism may be early indication of dementia, which can facilitate development of screening assessments.

Is Healthy Neuroticism Associated with Health Behaviors? A Coordinated Integrative Data Analysis

Current literature suggests that neuroticism is positively associated with maladaptive life choices, likelihood of disease, and mortality. However, recent research has identified circumstances under which neuroticism is associated with positive outcomes. The current project examined whether "healthy neuroticism", defined as the interaction of neuroticism and conscientiousness, was associated with the following health behaviors: smoking, alcohol consumption, and physical activity. Using a pre-registered multi-study coordinated integrative data analysis (IDA) approach, we investigated whether "healthy neuroticism" predicted the odds of engaging in each of the aforementioned activities. Each study estimated identical models, using the same covariates and data transformations, enabling optimal comparability of results. These results were then meta-analyzed in order to estimate an average (N-weighted) effect and to ascertain the extent of heterogeneity in the effects. Overall, these results suggest that neuroticism alone was not related to health behaviors, while individuals higher in conscientiousness were less likely to be smokers or drinkers, and more likely to engage in physical activity. In terms of the healthy neuroticism interaction of neuroticism and conscientiousness, significant interactions for smoking and physical activity suggest that the association between neuroticism and health behaviors was smaller among those high in conscientiousness. These findings lend credence to the idea that healthy neuroticism may be linked to certain health behaviors and that these effects are generalizable across several heterogeneous samples.

Development of the NIH Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Medication Adherence Scale (PMAS)

Poor medication adherence is associated with reduced drug effectiveness, poor health-related quality of life, increased morbidity and mortality, and increased healthcare utilization and cost. Including the patient's voice is essential in understanding barriers to adherence. Useful patient-reported adherence measures are brief, inexpensive, non-invasive; can indicate barriers to adherence; and can be incorporated in electronic health records. The NIH Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS^®) includes high-quality, freely available patient-reported measures covering many important constructs in patient-centered research but does not include a medication adherence measure. To fill this gap, we developed the PROMIS Medication Adherence Scale (PMAS) using the rigorous PROMIS instrument development guidelines. To develop the PMAS, we first conducted a review of the reviews, which enabled us to identify content areas relevant to medication adherence behavior. Then, we conducted qualitative research to elicit patients' views of and experiences with medication adherence. This process identified the following important content areas to guide item writing: extent medication is taken, knowledge of medication regimen, beliefs about medication, remembering to take medication, skipping due to side effects, skipping due to feeling better, and cost of medications. Based on the results of these activities, we wrote items and aimed to retain 1-2 items per content area. The final item set included 9 total adherence items, which were then refined through intensive comprehension and translatability review, as well as cognitive interviews. Future steps include testing the PMAS's validity.

ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN PERSONALITY TRAITS AND COGNITIVE RESILIENCE IN OLDER ADULTS

There is often discordance between brain pathology and dementia diagnosis. Some individuals maintain cognitive function throughout their lives but show high burden of neuropathology after death (e.g. amyloid plagues, neurofibrillary tangles, vascular disease, Lewy bodies, and/or TDP-43). Conversely, some demonstrate significant decline and receive a dementia diagnosis, while showing minimal neuropathology at autopsy. The current study seeks to understand these resilience/vulnerability profiles, with a focus on individual differences. That is, are individuals with certain personality characteristics (e.g. high openness, low neuroticism) more/less likely to have cognitive resilience or vulnerability? Using psychosocial and autopsy data from the Rush Memory and Aging Project and the Religious Orders Study, this study uses a resilience index based on residuals derived from regressing global cognition on global pathology, then entering personality traits as predictors of cognitive resilience. The analysis plan will be submitted to the Journal of Gerontology’s special issue on pre-registration of existing data.

ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN PERSONALITY TRAITS AND COGNITIVE RESILIENCE IN OLDER ADULTS

There are considerable individual differences in the rates of cognitive decline across later adulthood. Personality traits are one set of factors that may account for some of these differences. The current project explores whether personality traits are associated with trajectories of cognitive decline, and whether the associations are different before and after a diagnosis of dementia. The data will be analyzed using linear mixed effects regression. Across these goals is a focus on replicability and generalizability. Each of these questions will be addressed in four independent longitudinal studies of aging (EAS, MAP, ROS, SATSA), then meta-analyzed, thus providing an estimate of the replicability of our results. This study is part of a registered report of existing data that is currently under stage 1 review.

CHALLENGES IN PRE-REGISTRATION AND APPLYING OPEN SCIENCE PRINCIPLES WHEN USING SECONDARY OR LONGITUDINAL DATA

The application of open science, preregistration, and transparency principle is challenging when using existing data, including ongoing long-term longitudinal data. The goal is to distinguish clearly between exploratory and confirmatory research, but in the context of archival or longitudinal work there are risks associated with prior knowledge that has been obtained from these secondary sources. That said, new principles are being developed, including specialized pre-registration templates, that can guide the application of open science and transparency ideas to longitudinal and other secondary data, thereby increasing credibility of such work. These include: 1) disclosure of prior knowledge about a given dataset, ranging from “never worked with these data” to having multiple publications, in the pre-registration, 2) use of hold-out subsamples that can be used for validation or confirmatory purposes, and 3) making more clear what research questions are exploratory and confirmatory.

IS THE PATH EASIER ON THE BRIGHTER SIDE? OPTIMISM AND DAILY STRESS PROCESSES ACROSS 16 YEARS

Accumulating evidence supports optimism as a health asset, yet little is known about underlying pathways. This study evaluates the long-term influence of optimism on exposure and affective reactivity to daily stressors. The sample comprised 233 community-dwelling men who completed a validated measure of optimism in 1986 (age: M=59, SD=6), and participated in up to three 8-day daily diary studies between 2002-10. Daily stressor occurrence, end-of-day positive affect (PA) and negative affect (NA) were assessed nightly in the diary studies. Results from multilevel structural equation modeling showed that optimism was unrelated to affective stress reactivity. However, higher optimism preceded lower overall NA and higher overall PA. Lower daily stressor exposure mediated the association from optimism to lower NA (indirect effect: B=-0.26, 95% Bayesian CI: -0.48, -0.09), but it did not account for the optimism-PA association. Our findings add to knowledge on pathways by which optimism promotes affective well-being in old age.

TRAJECTORIES OF POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE AFFECT: A COORDINATED ANALYSIS OF 11 LONGITUDINAL SAMPLES

This study assessed age-graded change in positive and negative affect over decades of the lifespan. We conducted a coordinated integrative data analysis (IDA) using data from 11 longitudinal samples, comprising a total of 74076 respondents, spanning the ages of 11 to 106. Positive and negative affect were measured using the CES-D in 8 studies, the PANAS in 3 studies, and the MIDI scale in the MIDUS with three to eleven measurement occasions across studies. To assess and compare the extent and nature of change in affect over time across studies, analyses were coordinated, deploying identical multi-level growth models on each dataset. The curvilinear models suggested PA was best characterized by an inverted U-shaped trajectory, peaking in the mid-to-late 50s, while change in NA was best described by a U-shaped curve, bottoming out in the late 60s. We also found measure-related differences in the proportion of variance in affect attributable to within- or between person differences; The majority of the variability in CES-D-assessed affect was attributable to within-person differences over time, while the variability in PANAS-assessed affect was predominantly attributable to between-person differences. Overall, the results did not support steady improvement of emotional experience over the entire life-course as previous studies have suggested, but show promise for midlife when PA peaks and NA bottoms out. This study demonstrates the value of coordinated conceptual replications, resolving some of the mixed findings in the literature regarding age-graded change in affect and enhancing the current understanding of the longitudinal affect phenomenon.