@article {2020-12150-00120200217, title = {Building sense of purpose in older adulthood: Examining the role of supportive relationships.}, journal = {The Journal of Positive Psychology}, year = {2020}, abstract = {Having supportive others appears valuable for developing a purpose, at least during adolescence and young adulthood. However, work has yet to consider whether sense of purpose and social support change in tandem or predict one another during older adulthood. Using a subsample (N = 7,452) of older adults from the Health and Retirement Study, we estimate the associations of purpose in life to social support and social strain in four domains (spouses/partners, children, family, friends) using bivariate growth models. Participants provided responses at three assessment occasions, 4 years apart. Analyses controlled for social contact frequency to focus on the unique role of supportive relationships. Initial levels of support correlated positively with levels for sense of purpose, while strain was negatively associated with purpose. Moreover, with the exception of family support, changes in sense of purpose were correlated with changes in support and strain in the same direction across doma}, keywords = {No terms assigned, older adulthood, Sense of purpose, Social Support, Well-being}, issn = {1743-9760}, url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2020.1725607 }, author = {Sara J Weston and Nathan A Lewis and Patrick L Hill} } @article {11023, title = {Is Healthy Neuroticism Associated with Health Behaviors? A Coordinated Integrative Data Analysis}, journal = {Collabra: Psychology}, volume = {6}, year = {2020}, abstract = {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 {\textquotedblleft}healthy neuroticism{\textquotedblright}, 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 {\textquotedblleft}healthy neuroticism{\textquotedblright} 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.}, keywords = {Coordinated IDA, Health behaviors, Healthy Neuroticism}, doi = {http://doi.org/10.1525/collabra.266}, author = {Graham, Eileen and Sara J Weston and Nicholas A. Turiano and Damaris Aschwanden and Booth, Tom and Harrison, Fleur and James, Byran and Nathan A Lewis and Makkar, Steven and Mueller, Swantje and Wisniewski, Kristi and Yoneda, Tomiko and Zhaoyang, Ruixue and Avron Spiro III and Willis, Sherry and K. Warner Schaie and Sliwinski, Martin and Lipton, Richard and Katz, Mindy and Ian J Deary and Elizabeth Zelinski and David A Bennett and Sachdev, P S and Brodaty, H and Troller, Julian and Ames, David and Margaret J Wright and Denis Gerstorf and Allemand, Mathias and Drewelies, Johanna and Wagner, Gert G and Muniz-Terrera, Graciela and Andrea M Piccinin and Scott M Hofer and Daniel K. Mroczek} } @article {9466, title = {Evaluating eight-year trajectories for sense of purpose in the Health and Retirement Study.}, journal = {Aging \& Mental Health}, volume = {23}, year = {2019}, pages = {233-237}, abstract = {

OBJECTIVES: Though cross-sectional research has suggested that sense of purpose declines into older adulthood, it remains unclear whether inter-individual variability occurs in these trajectories, and what factors predict these trajectories. The current study provides one of the first longitudinal investigations into how individuals{\textquoteright} sense of purpose fluctuates in older adulthood.

METHOD: Participants from the Health and Retirement Study (n = 4,234, mean age = 65 years), completed assessments of sense of purpose over three years, along with multiple potential predictors (health, personality, demographics) at the start.

RESULTS: Second-order latent growth models demonstrated both mean-level declines on purpose over time, as well as the capacity for inter-individual variability in change patterns for retired adults. Among this cohort, health status, educational attainment, and marital status were significant predictors of purpose trajectories over time, though broad personality trait dimensions failed to uniquely predict change in sense of purpose. However, measurement invariance tests suggest that the scale did not operate similarly across work status groups.

CONCLUSION: Findings advance the previous literature by demonstrating inter-individual variability in sense of purpose for those participants who had retired. Future research should consider that purpose inventories may operate differently for those in the workplace versus retired adults.

}, keywords = {Health Conditions and Status, Purpose in life, Well-being}, issn = {1364-6915}, doi = {10.1080/13607863.2017.1399344}, author = {Patrick L Hill and Sara J Weston} } @article {9480, title = {The co-development of perceived support and the Big Five in middle and older adulthood}, journal = {International Journal of Behavioral Development}, volume = {42}, year = {2018}, pages = {26-33}, abstract = {The current study examined whether relationships also influence personality trait development during middle and older adulthood, focusing on the individual{\textquoteright}s perception of support from the relationship partner. Using data from the Health and Retirement Study (n = 20,422; mean age = 65.9 years), we examined the longitudinal relationships between Big Five personality trait levels and perceived support from children, family, friends, and spouses. Results found that participants who reported more positive social support and lower negative support also tended to score higher on conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and openness to experience, but lower on neuroticism. Moreover, changes in positive support across relationship partners coincided with trait changes over time, in the form of more positive support was associated with seemingly adaptive changes on the Big Five. Findings are discussed with respect to identifying social influences on personality development in adulthood.}, keywords = {Personality, Retirement Planning and Satisfaction, Self-reported health, Social Support}, issn = {0165-0254}, doi = {10.1177/0165025417690262}, author = {Patrick L Hill and Sara J Weston} } @article {7999, title = {Connecting Social Environment Variables to the Onset of Major Specific Health Outcomes}, journal = {Psychology and Health}, volume = {29}, year = {2014}, pages = {753-767}, publisher = {29}, abstract = {Abstract Objective: The present research examined the effects of the social environment on the onset of specific health ailments. Design: Using data from the Health and Retirement Study, we examined participants? responses to social environment questions in 2006 as predictors of onset of different health conditions over the next four years. Main Outcome Measures: Healthy participants (n = 7514) reported on their number of social partners, interaction frequency, positive social support, and negative social support with respect to both their family and friends. These variables were used to predict onset of seven conditions in 2010: high blood pressure, heart condition, lung disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes, and arthritis. Results: Logistic regressions indicated that the social environment provided some predictive value for onset of most health outcomes, with more positive and less negative social support appearing to buffer against onset. Social environmental variables related to friendships appeared to play a greater role than the family indicators. However, no variable proved universally adaptive, and social indicators had little value in predicting onset of chronic conditions. Conclusion: The current findings point to the potential for the social environment to influence later health, while demonstrating the nuanced role that our social lives play with respect to health. Objective: The present research examined the effects of the social environment on the onset of specific health ailments. Design: Using data from the Health and Retirement Study, we examined participants? responses to social environment questions in 2006 as predictors of onset of different health conditions over the next four years. Main Outcome Measures: Healthy participants (n = 7514) reported on their number of social partners, interaction frequency, positive social support, and negative social support with respect to both their family and friends. These variables were used to predict onset of seven conditions in 2010: high blood pressure, heart condition, lung disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes, and arthritis. Results: Logistic regressions indicated that the social environment provided some predictive value for onset of most health outcomes, with more positive and less negative social support appearing to buffer against onset. Social environmental variables related to friendships appeared to play a greater role than the family indicators. However, no variable proved universally adaptive, and social indicators had little value in predicting onset of chronic conditions. Conclusion: The current findings point to the potential for the social environment to influence later health, while demonstrating the nuanced role that our social lives play with respect to health.}, keywords = {Adult children, Demographics, Health Conditions and Status}, doi = {10.1080/08870446.2014.884221}, url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/08870446.2014.884221}, author = {Patrick L Hill and Sara J Weston and Joshua J Jackson} } @article {6481, title = {Personality Traits Predict the Onset of Disease}, journal = {Social Psychological and Personality Science}, volume = {6}, year = {2014}, pages = {309-317}, chapter = {309}, abstract = {While personality traits have been linked concurrently to health status and prospectively to outcomes such as mortality, it is currently unknown whether traits predict the diagnosis of a number of specific diseases (e.g., lung disease, heart disease, and stroke) that may account for their mortality effects more generally. A sample (N = 6,904) of participants from the Health and Retirement Study, a longitudinal study of older adults, completed personality measures and reported on current health conditions. Four years later, participants were followed up to see if they developed a new disease. Initial cross-sectional analyses replicated past findings that personality traits differ across disease groups. Longitudinal logistic regression analyses predicting new disease diagnosis suggest that traits are associated with the risk of developing disease most notably the traits of conscientiousness, neuroticism, and openness. Findings are discussed as a means to identify pathways between personality and health.}, keywords = {Health Conditions and Status, Healthcare}, doi = {10.1177/1948550614553248}, url = {http://spp.sagepub.com/content/early/2014/10/13/1948550614553248.abstract}, author = {Sara J Weston and Patrick L Hill and Joshua J Jackson} }