Department of Sociology, Northern Arizona University, SBS Castro 308 5 E McConnell Dr, Flagstaff, AZ, 86011, USA.
Department of Sociology, The Pennsylvania State University, Oswald Tower, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.
Sci Rep. 2024 Aug 22;14(1):19555. doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-70388-5.
This study tests whether memory impairment and perceived increases in stress due to life changes independently contribute to similar personality changes, such as increased neuroticism and decreased conscientiousness. Longitudinal data from 12,912 participants aged 50+ from the Health and Retirement Study (2006-2020) were analyzed using Latent Growth Curve Models (LGCMs). Six LGCMs were simultaneously estimated to examine how changes in personality across three data points spanning 8 years are predicted by both the classification of memory impairment (MI) statuses assessed via the Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status and estimated increases in life stress. Decreases were observed in all Big Five personality factors (B = - 0.240/- 0.510, SE = 0.085/0.089) over the 8-year period. No significant differences in personality changes were found between MI cases and non-MI cases. Increased life stress was significantly associated with a rise in neuroticism (B = 0.587, SE = 0.094) and reductions in conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and openness (B ranges from - 0.223 to - 0.497). The findings emphasize adaptive/developmental shifts in personality in response to life stress rather than neuropathological ones related to memory impairment. Clinical assessment of personality changes in mid-to-late life should first consider psychological maladaptation to situational threats and challenges.
本研究旨在测试记忆障碍和因生活变化而感知到的压力增加是否会独立导致类似的人格变化，例如神经质增加和尽责性降低。使用潜在增长曲线模型（LGCM）分析了来自健康与退休研究（2006-2020 年）的 12912 名 50 岁以上参与者的纵向数据。同时估计了六个 LGCM，以研究人格在跨越 8 年的三个数据点上的变化如何受到通过电话认知状态测试评估的记忆障碍（MI）状态的分类和生活压力增加的预测。在 8 年期间，所有五大人格因素（B= -0.240/-0.510，SE=0.085/0.089）均观察到下降。MI 病例和非 MI 病例之间的人格变化没有显著差异。生活压力增加与神经质增加显著相关（B=0.587，SE=0.094），尽责性、外向性、宜人性和开放性降低（B 范围从-0.223 到-0.497）。研究结果强调了人格对生活压力的适应/发展变化，而不是与记忆障碍相关的神经病理学变化。对中年后期人格变化的临床评估应首先考虑对情境威胁和挑战的心理适应不良。
