PERSONALITY
AND HEALTH
Lecture 6
Yvette Lamb
CURRENT ISSUES
Current Issues
Timothy Smith (2006) outlines several issues that need to be considered
when examining relationships between health and personality
◦ Assessment of health – subjective versus objective
◦ Measurement of personality – psychometric concerns (validity and
reliability)
◦ Study design – prospective designs versus cross-sectional designs
◦ Mechanisms underlying associations – describing relationships versus
explaining relationships
Health Assessment
◦ Studies are most useful if they look at
unambiguous outcomes (such as mortality and
diseases that have been diagnosed using objective
criteria).
◦ Ambiguous outcomes include utilization of health
care and self-ratings of health/symptoms.
◦ Ambiguous outcomes (while still important) can
make it difficult to ascertain whether personality is
associated with health OR only with illness
behaviour.
Personality Measurement
◦ Individual studies often utilise personality
tests/scales developed by the authors of that
particular study.
◦ These scales frequently lack reliability and
validity.
◦ The Big Five model may be useful in bringing
order to this proliferation of measures (facets
within the broader traits should be considered)
Study Design
◦ In cross-sectional designs, an association between
personality measures (e.g., negative emotionality)
and illness could reflect personality contributing
to illness
◦ However, the association could alternatively
reflect reactions to the illness (problem of
correlation ≠ causation). The likelihood of this
can be reduced by using prospective designs.
Underlying Mechanisms
◦ Associations are not explanations.
◦ While studies often describe potential mechanisms
that may underlie associations between personality
measures and health, these mediational hypotheses
are seldom tested.
◦ Elucidating underlying mechanisms is crucial for
research in this area to progress and to have practical
applications within healthcare.
◦ Perceived credibility may also rest on research into
these mechanisms.
Linear Regression
The regression line (represented by the equation Ŷ = bX + a ) can be used to
predict Y (e.g., cardiovascular health) on the basis of X (e.g., conscientiousness).
Mediation Regression
◦ X = causal variable
◦ M = mediator
◦ Y = outcome
◦ If c’ is non-significant
while c was, you have
demonstrated complete
mediation
Figure taken from N. R. Herr
(http://www.nrhpsych.com/mediation/logmed.html)
◦ Example from
Hampson et al.
(2007) –
structural model
of direct and
indirect
influences of
childhood
personality on
adult health
status through
educational
attainment and
health
behaviours
Models taken from T. W. Smith (2006)
SPECIAL TOPICS
Topics to choose from…
◦ Anorexia Nervosa (Amianto et al., 2011)
◦ Obesity (Sutin et al., 2011)
◦ Alzheimer’s Disease (Duchek et al., 2007)
◦ Wound healing speed (Ebrecht et al., 2004)
In your group presentation, discuss…
◦ The background, methodology and key findings of
the study
◦ What this study might tell us about the relationship
between personality and health – consider the
mechanism models of Smith (2006)
◦ Potential applications of this knowledge
FUTURE
DIRECTIONS
Personality in Personalised Medicine
◦ Reading for this week:
Boersma, G. L., Benthem, L., van Beek, A. P., van Dijk, G., &
Scheurink, A. J. (2011). Personality, a key factor in
personalized medicine? European Journal of Pharmacology, 667,
23-25.
Chapman, B. P., Roberts, B., & Duberstein. P. (2011).
Personality and longevity: Knowns, unknowns and
implications for public health and personalized medicine.
Journal of Aging Research.