Personality and Other Lifelong Influences on Older–Age Health and Wellbeing: Preliminary Findings in Two Scottish Samples

Abstract

Recent observations that personality traits are related to later‐life health and wellbeing have inspired considerable interest in exploring the mechanisms involved. Other factors, such as cognitive ability and education, also show longitudinal influences on health and wellbeing, but it is not yet clear how all these early‐life factors together contribute to later‐life health and wellbeing. In this preliminary study, we assessed hypothesised relations among these variables across the life course, using structural equation modelling in a sample assessed on dependability (a personality trait related to conscientiousness) in childhood, cognitive ability and social class in childhood and older age, education, and health and subjective wellbeing in older age. Our models indicated that both health and subjective wellbeing in older age were influenced by childhood IQ and social class, via education. Some older‐age personality traits mediated the effects of early‐life variables, on subjective wellbeing in particular, but childhood dependability did not show significant associations. Our results therefore did not provide evidence that childhood dependability promotes older‐age health and wellbeing, but did highlight the importance of other early‐life factors, particularly characteristics that contribute to educational attainment. Further, personality in later life may mediate the effects of early‐life factors on health and subjective wellbeing. © 2016 The Authors. European Journal of Personality published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of European Association of Personality Psychology

How far reaches the power of personality? Personality predictors of terminal decline in well-being.

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Effects of “Thursdays at the Museum” at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts on the mental and physical health of older community dwellers: the art-health randomized clinical trial protocol

“…Well-being, defined as a good or satisfactory condition of existence, quality of life, and health are closely related, and this relationship is important at older ages [9,10]. Wellbeing is positively associated with quality of life and physical health benefits, including a decreased risk for disease, speedier disease recovery, and increased longevity [6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13].…”

“…Well-being, defined as a good or satisfactory condition of existence, quality of life, and health are closely related, and this relationship is important at older ages [9,10]. Wellbeing is positively associated with quality of life and physical health benefits, including a decreased risk for disease, speedier disease recovery, and increased longevity [6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13]. In parallel, it has been found that art-based activities are positively associated with numerous aspects of individuals' physical health, like a better immune system response and slower disease progression, with these effects being related to well-being improvement [3,[6][7][8].…”