Search results

Title: An Alternative to the Search for Single Polymorphisms: Toward Molecular Personality Scales for the Five-Factor Model.
Creator: McCrae, Robert R., Scally, Matthew, Terracciano, Antonio, Abecasis, Gonçalo, Costa, Paul
Abstract/Description: There is growing evidence that personality traits are affected by many genes, all of which have very small effects. As an alternative to the largely unsuccessful search for individual polymorphisms associated with personality traits, the authors identified large sets of potentially related single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and summed them to form molecular personality scales (MPSs) with from 4 to 2,497 SNPs. Scales were derived from two thirds of a large (N = 3,972) sample of individuals...
Show moreThere is growing evidence that personality traits are affected by many genes, all of which have very small effects. As an alternative to the largely unsuccessful search for individual polymorphisms associated with personality traits, the authors identified large sets of potentially related single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and summed them to form molecular personality scales (MPSs) with from 4 to 2,497 SNPs. Scales were derived from two thirds of a large (N = 3,972) sample of individuals from Sardinia who completed the Revised NEO Personality Inventory (P. T. Costa, Jr., & R. R. McCrae, 1992) and were assessed in a genomewide association scan. When MPSs were correlated with the phenotype in the remaining one third of the sample, very small but significant associations were found for 4 of the 5e personality factors when the longest scales were examined. These data suggest that MPSs for Neuroticism, Openness to Experience, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness (but not Extraversion) contain genetic information that can be refined in future studies, and the procedures described here should be applicable to other quantitative traits.
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Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: FSU_migr_geriatrics_faculty_publications-0015, 10.1037/a0020964
Format: Citation

Title: The ABC's of math: A genetic analysis of mathematics and its links with reading ability and general cognitive ability.
Creator: Hart, Sara, Petrill, Stephen, Thompson, Lee, Plomin, Robert
Abstract/Description: The goal of this first major report from the Western Reserve Reading Project Math component is to explore the etiology of the relationship among tester-administered measures of mathematics ability, reading ability and general cognitive ability. Data are available on 314 pairs of monozygotic and same-sex dizygotic twins analyzed across five waves of assessment. Univariate analyses provide a range of estimates of genetic (h²=.00-.63) and shared environmental influences (c²=.15-.52) across math...
Show moreThe goal of this first major report from the Western Reserve Reading Project Math component is to explore the etiology of the relationship among tester-administered measures of mathematics ability, reading ability and general cognitive ability. Data are available on 314 pairs of monozygotic and same-sex dizygotic twins analyzed across five waves of assessment. Univariate analyses provide a range of estimates of genetic (h²=.00-.63) and shared environmental influences (c²=.15-.52) across math calculation, fluency and problem solving measures. Multivariate analyses indicate genetic overlap between math problem solving with general cognitive ability and reading, whereas math fluency shares significant genetic overlap with reading fluency and general cognitive ability. Further, math fluency has unique genetic influences. In general, math ability has shared environmental overlap with general cognitive ability and decoding. These results indicate that aspects of math that include problem solving have different genetic and environmental influences than math calculation. Moreover, math fluency, a timed measure of calculation, is the only measured math ability with unique genetic influences.
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Date Issued: 2009
Identifier: FSU_migr_psy_faculty_publications-0008, 10.1037/a0015115
Format: Citation

Title: ADHD and working memory: the impact of central executive deficits and exceeding storage/rehearsal capacity on observed inattentive behavior.
Creator: Kofler, Michael, Rapport, Mark, Bolden, Jennifer, Sarver, Dustin, Raiker, Joseph
Abstract/Description: Inattentive behavior is considered a core and pervasive feature of ADHD; however, an alternative model challenges this premise and hypothesizes a functional relationship between working memory deficits and inattentive behavior. The current study investigated whether inattentive behavior in children with ADHD is functionally related to the domain-general central executive and/or subsidiary storage/rehearsal components of working memory. Objective observations of children's attentive behavior...
Show moreInattentive behavior is considered a core and pervasive feature of ADHD; however, an alternative model challenges this premise and hypothesizes a functional relationship between working memory deficits and inattentive behavior. The current study investigated whether inattentive behavior in children with ADHD is functionally related to the domain-general central executive and/or subsidiary storage/rehearsal components of working memory. Objective observations of children's attentive behavior by independent observers were conducted while children with ADHD (n = 15) and typically developing children (n = 14) completed counterbalanced tasks that differentially manipulated central executive, phonological storage/rehearsal, and visuospatial storage/rehearsal demands. Results of latent variable and effect size confidence interval analyses revealed two conditions that completely accounted for the attentive behavior deficits in children with ADHD: (a) placing demands on central executive processing, the effect of which is evident under even low cognitive loads, and (b) exceeding storage/rehearsal capacity, which has similar effects on children with ADHD and typically developing children but occurs at lower cognitive loads for children with ADHD.
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Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: FSU_migr_psy_faculty_publications-0017, 10.1007/s10802-009-9357-6
Format: Citation

Title: Factorial and Construct Validity of the Italian Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS).
Creator: Terracciano, Antonio, McCrae, Robert R., Costa, Paul
Abstract/Description: This study provides evidence that an Italian version of the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) is a reliable and valid self-report measure. In an Italian sample (N = 600), the PANAS showed solid psychometric properties, and several American findings with the PANAS were replicated. The replicability of the PANAS factor structure was confirmed by high congruence coefficients between the American and Italian varimax solutions. Alternative models were tested with Confirmatory Factor...
Show moreThis study provides evidence that an Italian version of the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) is a reliable and valid self-report measure. In an Italian sample (N = 600), the PANAS showed solid psychometric properties, and several American findings with the PANAS were replicated. The replicability of the PANAS factor structure was confirmed by high congruence coefficients between the American and Italian varimax solutions. Alternative models were tested with Confirmatory Factor Analysis; as in previous studies, the two-factor model achieved the best fit, but absolute fit indices varied with the estimation methods used. The independence/bipolarity issue was also explored: Positive and negative affect scales remain substantially independent after accounting for measurement error and acquiescence. Some predictions from the tripartite model of anxiety and depression were confirmed, and external correlates of the PANAS replicated those found in other languages and cultures. These analyses offer strong support for the construct validity of the Italian PANAS.
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Date Issued: 2003
Identifier: FSU_migr_geriatrics_faculty_publications-0035, 10.1027//1015-5759.19.2.131
Format: Citation

Title: Facets of Personality Linked to Underweight and Overweight.
Creator: Terracciano, Antonio, Sutin, Angelina, McCrae, Robert R., Deiana, Barbara, Ferrucci, Luigi, Schlessinger, David, Uda, Manuela, Costa, Paul
Abstract/Description: OBJECTIVE: Personality traits underlie maladaptive behaviors, and cognitive and emotional disturbances that contribute to major preventable causes of global disease burden. This study examines detailed personality profiles of underweight, normal, and overweight individuals to provide insights into the causes and treatments of abnormal weight. METHODS: More than half of the population from four towns in Sardinia, Italy (n = 5693; age = 14-94 years; mean +/- standard deviation = 43 +/- 17 years...
Show moreOBJECTIVE: Personality traits underlie maladaptive behaviors, and cognitive and emotional disturbances that contribute to major preventable causes of global disease burden. This study examines detailed personality profiles of underweight, normal, and overweight individuals to provide insights into the causes and treatments of abnormal weight. METHODS: More than half of the population from four towns in Sardinia, Italy (n = 5693; age = 14-94 years; mean +/- standard deviation = 43 +/- 17 years) were assessed on multiple anthropometric measures and 30 facets that comprehensively cover the five major dimensions of personality, using the Revised NEO Personality Inventory. RESULTS: High Neuroticism and low Conscientiousness were associated with being underweight and obese, respectively. High Impulsiveness (specifically eating-behavior items) and low Order were associated with body mass index categories of overweight and obese, and with measures of abdominal adiposity (waist and hip circumference). Those scoring in the top 10% of Impulsiveness were about 4 kg heavier than those in the bottom 10%, an effect independent and larger than the FTO genetic variant. Prospective analyses confirmed that Impulsiveness and Order were significant predictors of general and central measures of adiposity assessed 3 years later. CONCLUSIONS: Overweight and obese individuals have difficulty resisting cravings and lack methodical and organized behaviors that might influence diet and weight control. Although individuals' traits have limited impact on the current obesogenic epidemic, personality traits can improve clinical assessment, suggest points of intervention, and help tailor prevention and treatment approaches.
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Date Issued: 2009
Identifier: FSU_migr_mhs-0033, 10.1097/PSY.0b013e3181a2925b
Format: Citation

Title: Eyes on the Prize: The Longitudinal Benefits of Goal Focus on Progress Toward a Weight Loss Goal.
Creator: Conlon, Kyle, Ehrlinger, Joyce, Eibach, Richard, Crescioni, A. Will (Albert William), Alquist, Jessica, Gerend, Mary, Dutton, Gareth
Abstract/Description: Past research suggests that focusing on what has not yet been accomplished (goal focus) signals a lack of progress towards one's high commitment goals and inspires greater motivation than does focusing on what has already been accomplished (accomplishment focus). The present investigation extends this research to a longitudinal, important domain by exploring the consequences of focusing on one's goals versus accomplishments when pursuing a weight loss goal. Participants were tracked over the...
Show morePast research suggests that focusing on what has not yet been accomplished (goal focus) signals a lack of progress towards one's high commitment goals and inspires greater motivation than does focusing on what has already been accomplished (accomplishment focus). The present investigation extends this research to a longitudinal, important domain by exploring the consequences of focusing on one's goals versus accomplishments when pursuing a weight loss goal. Participants were tracked over the course of a 12-week weight loss program that utilized weekly group discussions and a companion website to direct participants' focus toward their end weight loss goal or toward what they had already achieved. Goal-focused participants reported higher levels of commitment to their goal and, ultimately, lost more weight than did accomplishment-focused and no focus control participants. Accomplishment-focused participants did not differ from controls on any measure.
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Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: FSU_migr_mhs-0007, 10.1016/j.jesp.2011.02.005
Format: Citation

Title: Expanding the environment: gene × school-level SES interaction on reading comprehension.
Creator: Hart, Sara, Soden, Brook, Johnson, Wendy (Psychologist), Schatschneider, Christopher, Taylor, Jeanette
Abstract/Description: BACKGROUND: Influential work has explored the role of family socioeconomic status (SES) as an environmental moderator of genetic and environmental influences on cognitive outcomes. This work has provided evidence that socioeconomic circumstances differentially impact the heritability of cognitive abilities, generally supporting the bioecological model in that genetic influences are greater at higher levels of family SES. The present work expanded consideration of the environment, using school...
Show moreBACKGROUND: Influential work has explored the role of family socioeconomic status (SES) as an environmental moderator of genetic and environmental influences on cognitive outcomes. This work has provided evidence that socioeconomic circumstances differentially impact the heritability of cognitive abilities, generally supporting the bioecological model in that genetic influences are greater at higher levels of family SES. The present work expanded consideration of the environment, using school-level SES as a moderator of reading comprehension. METHODS: The sample included 577 pairs of twins from the Florida Twin Project on Reading, Behavior and Environment. Reading comprehension was measured by the Florida Comprehensive Achievement Test (FCAT) Reading in third or fourth grade. School-level SES was measured by the mean Free and Reduced Lunch Status (FRLS) of the schoolmates of the twins. RESULTS: The best-fitting univariate G × E moderation model indicated greater genetic influences on reading comprehension when fewer schoolmates qualified for FRLS (i.e., 'higher' school-level SES). There was also an indication of moderation of the shared environment; there were greater shared environmental influences on reading comprehension at higher school-level SES. CONCLUSIONS: The results supported the bioecological model; greater genetic variance was found in school environments in which student populations experienced less poverty. In general, 'higher' school-level SES allowed genetic and probably shared environmental variance to contribute as sources of individual differences in reading comprehension outcomes. Poverty suppresses these influences.
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Date Issued: 2013
Identifier: FSU_migr_psy_faculty_publications-0010, 10.1111/jcpp.12083
Format: Citation

Title: Exploring how symptoms of Attention‐Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder are related to reading and mathematics performance: General genes, general environments.
Creator: Hart, Sara, Petrill, Stephen, Willcutt, Erik, Thompson, Lee, Schatschneider, Christopher, Deater-Deckard, Kirby D., Cutting, Laurie E.
Abstract/Description: Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) tend to perform more poorly on tests of reading and mathematical performance than their typical peers. Quantitative genetic analyses allow for a better understanding of the etiology among ADHD, reading and mathematics outcomes, examining the common and unique genetic and environmental influences. Analyses were based on a sample 271 pairs of 10-year-old monozygotic and dizygotic twins drawn from the Western Reserve Reading and...
Show moreChildren with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) tend to perform more poorly on tests of reading and mathematical performance than their typical peers. Quantitative genetic analyses allow for a better understanding of the etiology among ADHD, reading and mathematics outcomes, examining the common and unique genetic and environmental influences. Analyses were based on a sample 271 pairs of 10-year-old monozygotic and dizygotic twins drawn from the Western Reserve Reading and Mathematics Project. In general, the results suggested that the association among ADHD symptoms, reading and math outcomes was influenced by both common genetic and environmental factors. Outside of this common relationship, ADHD symptoms also suggested significant independent genetic effects. The results imply differing etiological factors underlying the relationships among ADHD, reading and mathematics. It appears that both genetic and common family and/or school environments link ADHD and academic performance.
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Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: FSU_migr_psy_faculty_publications-0009, 10.1177/0956797610386617
Format: Citation

Title: Genetics of Serum BDNF: Meta-analysis of the Val66Met and Genome-wide Association Study.
Creator: Terracciano, Antonio, Piras, Maria, Lobina, Monia, Mulas, Antonella, Meirelles, Osorio, Sutin, Angelina, Chan, Wayne, Sanna, Serena, Uda, Manuela, Crisponi, Laura, Schlessinger,...
Show moreTerracciano, Antonio, Piras, Maria, Lobina, Monia, Mulas, Antonella, Meirelles, Osorio, Sutin, Angelina, Chan, Wayne, Sanna, Serena, Uda, Manuela, Crisponi, Laura, Schlessinger, David
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Abstract/Description: Abstract Objectives. Lower levels of serum brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is one of the best known biomarkers of depression. To identify genetic variants associated with serum BDNF, we tested the Val66Met (rs6265) functional variant and conducted a genome-wide association scan (GWAS). Methods. In a community-based sample (N = 2054; aged 19-101, M = 51, SD = 15) from Sardinia, Italy, we measured serum BDNF concentration and conducted a GWAS. Results. We estimated the heritability of...
Show moreAbstract Objectives. Lower levels of serum brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is one of the best known biomarkers of depression. To identify genetic variants associated with serum BDNF, we tested the Val66Met (rs6265) functional variant and conducted a genome-wide association scan (GWAS). Methods. In a community-based sample (N = 2054; aged 19-101, M = 51, SD = 15) from Sardinia, Italy, we measured serum BDNF concentration and conducted a GWAS. Results. We estimated the heritability of serum BDNF to be 0.48 from sib-pairs. There was no association between serum BDNF and Val66Met in the SardiNIA sample and in a meta-analysis of published studies (k = 13 studies, total n = 4727, P = 0.92). Although no genome-wide significant associations were identified, some evidence of association was found in the BDNF gene (rs11030102, P = 0.001) and at two loci (rs7170215, P = 4.8 × 10(-5) and rs11073742 P = 1.2 × 10(-5)) near and within NTRK3 gene, a neurotrophic tyrosine kinase receptor. Conclusions. Our study and meta-analysis of the literature indicate that the BDNF Val66Met variant is not associated with serum BDNF, but other variants in the BDNF and NTRK3 genes might regulate the level of serum BDNF.
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Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: FSU_migr_mhs-0014, 10.3109/15622975.2011.616533
Format: Citation

Title: Genetic influences on language, reading, and mathematic skills in a national sample: An analysis in the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth.
Creator: Hart, Sara, Petrill, Stephen, Kamp Dush, Claire M.
Abstract/Description: Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) tend to perform more poorly on tests of reading and mathematical performance than their typical peers. Quantitative genetic analyses allow for a better understanding of the etiology among ADHD, reading and mathematics outcomes, examining the common and unique genetic and environmental influences. Analyses were based on a sample 271 pairs of 10-year-old monozygotic and dizygotic twins drawn from the Western Reserve Reading and...
Show moreChildren with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) tend to perform more poorly on tests of reading and mathematical performance than their typical peers. Quantitative genetic analyses allow for a better understanding of the etiology among ADHD, reading and mathematics outcomes, examining the common and unique genetic and environmental influences. Analyses were based on a sample 271 pairs of 10-year-old monozygotic and dizygotic twins drawn from the Western Reserve Reading and Mathematics Project. In general, the results suggested that the association among ADHD symptoms, reading and math outcomes was influenced by both common genetic and environmental factors. Outside of this common relationship, ADHD symptoms also suggested significant independent genetic effects. The results imply differing etiological factors underlying the relationships among ADHD, reading and mathematics. It appears that both genetic and common family and/or school environments link ADHD and academic performance.
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Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: FSU_migr_psy_faculty_publications-0005
Format: Citation

Title: Ethnicity, Education, and the Temporal Stability of Personality Traits In the East Baltimore Epidemiologic Catchment Area Study.
Creator: Löckenhoff, Corinna, Terracciano, Antonio, Bienvenu, O. Joseph, Patriciu, Nicholas, Nestadt, Gerald, McCrae, Robert R., Eaton, William W., Costa, Paul
Abstract/Description: We examined the influence of age, gender, Black vs. White ethnicity, and education on five indices of personality stability and change across an average interval of 8 years in the East Baltimore Epidemiologic Catchment Area study. In the full sample (n = 505, aged 30-88), examination of structural, rank-order, ipsative, and mean level stability, as well as indices of reliable change suggested that NEO-PI-R personality traits showed moderate to high levels of stability over time. There were...
Show moreWe examined the influence of age, gender, Black vs. White ethnicity, and education on five indices of personality stability and change across an average interval of 8 years in the East Baltimore Epidemiologic Catchment Area study. In the full sample (n = 505, aged 30-88), examination of structural, rank-order, ipsative, and mean level stability, as well as indices of reliable change suggested that NEO-PI-R personality traits showed moderate to high levels of stability over time. There were few age and gender effects on temporal stability but rank-order, ipsative, and mean level stability were lower among Blacks and individuals with lower education. Future research should explore additional demographic predictors of temporal plasticity in a diverse range of samples, and employ observer ratings to assess personality.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: FSU_migr_geriatrics_faculty_publications-0028, 10.1016/j.jrp.2007.09.004
Format: Citation

Title: Exploring the unique and interactive roles of distress tolerance and negative urgency in obsessions.
Creator: Cougle, Jesse, Timpano, Kiara R., Goetz, Amy
Abstract/Description: Recent research has implicated relationships between emotion dysregulation and obsessions. Evidence suggests low distress tolerance and greater tendency to act impulsively in the face of negative affect (or negative urgency) are strongly related to obsessions. The current study sought to examine the unique and interactive roles of distress tolerance and negative urgency in the prediction of obsessions. A large non-clinical sample (N = 238) was administered a range of self-report measures....
Show moreRecent research has implicated relationships between emotion dysregulation and obsessions. Evidence suggests low distress tolerance and greater tendency to act impulsively in the face of negative affect (or negative urgency) are strongly related to obsessions. The current study sought to examine the unique and interactive roles of distress tolerance and negative urgency in the prediction of obsessions. A large non-clinical sample (N = 238) was administered a range of self-report measures. Results revealed that both poor distress tolerance and greater negative urgency were uniquely associated with obsessions but not other obsessive–compulsive symptoms, even when controlling for gender, depression, anxiety, and generalized anxiety disorder symptoms. Additionally, low distress tolerance and high negative urgency interacted with each other in the prediction of greater obsession symptoms. Overall, the findings help clarify the emerging literature linking emotion dysregulation to obsessions.
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Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: FSU_migr_psy_faculty_publications-0011, 10.1016/j.paid.2011.11.017
Format: Citation

Title: Examining transactional influences between reading achievement and antisocially-behaving friends.
Creator: Hart, Sara, Mikolajewski, Amy, Johnson, Wendy (Psychologist), Schatschneider, Christopher, Taylor, Jeanette
Abstract/Description: The association between poorer academic outcomes and having antisocial friends is reliably demonstrated yet not well understood. Genetically sensitive designs uniquely allow for measuring genetic vulnerabilities and/or environmental risk in the association of antisocial friend behavior and poor school achievement, allowing for a better understanding of the nature of the association. This study included 233 pairs of twins from the Florida Twin Project on Reading. First, the role of antisocial...
Show moreThe association between poorer academic outcomes and having antisocial friends is reliably demonstrated yet not well understood. Genetically sensitive designs uniquely allow for measuring genetic vulnerabilities and/or environmental risk in the association of antisocial friend behavior and poor school achievement, allowing for a better understanding of the nature of the association. This study included 233 pairs of twins from the Florida Twin Project on Reading. First, the role of antisocial friends as an environmental moderator of reading comprehension was examined. Antisocial friends significantly moderated the nonshared environmental variance in reading comprehension, with increased variation at lower levels of association with antisocial friends, with niche-picking indicated. Second, the role of reading comprehension as an environmental moderator of antisocial friends was examined. Reading comprehension significantly moderated the nonshared environmental variance in associating with antisocial friends, with increased variance at lower levels of reading comprehension and indication that common genetic influences contributed to higher reading achievement and better-behaved friends. In total, these results suggested reciprocal influences between reading achievement and antisocially-behaving friends. The impact of antisocial friends appeared to be limited in the extent to which they can undermine reading achievement, and high reading achievement appeared to support less association with antisocial friends.
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Date Issued: 2014
Identifier: FSU_migr_psy_faculty_publications-0013, 10.1016/j.paid.2014.07.008
Format: Citation

Title: Five-Factor Model Personality Traits and the Retirement Transition: Longitudinal and Cross-Sectional Associations.
Creator: Löckenhoff, Corinna, Terracciano, Antonio, Costa, Paul
Abstract/Description: The authors examined associations between 5-factor personality traits and retirement in a diverse community sample. Longitudinal analyses (n = 367) compared personality trajectories of participants who remained employed and participants who retired. Personality at baseline did not predict future retirement, but compared to participants who remained employed, retirees increased in Agreeableness and decreased in Activity, a facet of Extraversion. In cross-sectional analyses among retirees (n =...
Show moreThe authors examined associations between 5-factor personality traits and retirement in a diverse community sample. Longitudinal analyses (n = 367) compared personality trajectories of participants who remained employed and participants who retired. Personality at baseline did not predict future retirement, but compared to participants who remained employed, retirees increased in Agreeableness and decreased in Activity, a facet of Extraversion. In cross-sectional analyses among retirees (n = 144), those low in Neuroticism and high in Extraversion reported higher retirement satisfaction, and those high in Extraversion reported higher postretirement activity levels. Findings suggest that the trait perspective contributes to the understanding of the retirement process.
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Date Issued: 2009
Identifier: FSU_migr_geriatrics_faculty_publications-0024, 10.1037/a0015121
Format: Citation

Title: Five-Factor Personality Traits and Age Trajectories of Self-Rated Health: The Role of Question Framing.
Creator: Löckenhoff, Corinna, Terracciano, Antonio, Ferrucci, Luigi, Costa, Paul
Abstract/Description: We examined the influence of personality traits on mean levels and age trends in 4 single-item measures of self-rated health: general rating, comparison to age peers, comparison to past health, and expectations for future health. Community-dwelling participants (N = 1,683) completed 7,474 self-rated health assessments over a period of up to 19 years. In hierarchical linear modeling analyses, age-associated declines differed across the 4 health items. Across age groups, high Neuroticism and...
Show moreWe examined the influence of personality traits on mean levels and age trends in 4 single-item measures of self-rated health: general rating, comparison to age peers, comparison to past health, and expectations for future health. Community-dwelling participants (N = 1,683) completed 7,474 self-rated health assessments over a period of up to 19 years. In hierarchical linear modeling analyses, age-associated declines differed across the 4 health items. Across age groups, high Neuroticism and low Conscientiousness, low Extraversion, and low Openness were associated with worse health ratings, with notable differences across the 4 health items. Furthermore, high Neuroticism predicted steeper declines in health ratings involving temporal comparisons. We consider theoretical implications regarding the mechanisms behind associations among personality traits and self-rated health.
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Date Issued: 2012
Identifier: FSU_migr_geriatrics_faculty_publications-0011, 10.1111/j.1467-6494.2011.00724.x
Format: Citation

Title: Five-Factor Model Personality Profiles of Drug Users.
Creator: Terracciano, Antonio, Löckenhoff, Corinna, Crum, Rosa, Bienvenu, O. Joseph, Costa, Paul
Abstract/Description: BACKGROUND: Personality traits are considered risk factors for drug use, and, in turn, the psychoactive substances impact individuals' traits. Furthermore, there is increasing interest in developing treatment approaches that match an individual's personality profile. To advance our knowledge of the role of individual differences in drug use, the present study compares the personality profile of tobacco, marijuana, cocaine, and heroin users and non-users using the wide spectrum Five-Factor...
Show moreBACKGROUND: Personality traits are considered risk factors for drug use, and, in turn, the psychoactive substances impact individuals' traits. Furthermore, there is increasing interest in developing treatment approaches that match an individual's personality profile. To advance our knowledge of the role of individual differences in drug use, the present study compares the personality profile of tobacco, marijuana, cocaine, and heroin users and non-users using the wide spectrum Five-Factor Model (FFM) of personality in a diverse community sample. METHOD: Participants (N = 1,102; mean age = 57) were part of the Epidemiologic Catchment Area (ECA) program in Baltimore, MD, USA. The sample was drawn from a community with a wide range of socio-economic conditions. Personality traits were assessed with the Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI-R), and psychoactive substance use was assessed with systematic interview. RESULTS: Compared to never smokers, current cigarette smokers score lower on Conscientiousness and higher on Neuroticism. Similar, but more extreme, is the profile of cocaine/heroin users, which score very high on Neuroticism, especially Vulnerability, and very low on Conscientiousness, particularly Competence, Achievement-Striving, and Deliberation. By contrast, marijuana users score high on Openness to Experience, average on Neuroticism, but low on Agreeableness and Conscientiousness. CONCLUSION: In addition to confirming high levels of negative affect and impulsive traits, this study highlights the links between drug use and low Conscientiousness. These links provide insight into the etiology of drug use and have implications for public health interventions.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: FSU_migr_geriatrics_faculty_publications-0027, 10.1186/1471-244X-8-22
Format: Citation

Title: Geriatric Depression: Do Older Persons Have a Right to Be Unhappy?.
Creator: Kapp, Marshall B.
Abstract/Description: Clinical depression is a serious medical problem in the older population. Although it is considered to be highly treatable, physicians and other health care professionals often are criticized for doing an inadequate job of recognizing, and then treating, depression in older persons. They are routinely exhorted to improve their performance by being more aggressive in recognizing and intervening with this clinical condition. Yet, the mandate to provide aggressive treatment of depression is not...
Show moreClinical depression is a serious medical problem in the older population. Although it is considered to be highly treatable, physicians and other health care professionals often are criticized for doing an inadequate job of recognizing, and then treating, depression in older persons. They are routinely exhorted to improve their performance by being more aggressive in recognizing and intervening with this clinical condition. Yet, the mandate to provide aggressive treatment of depression is not always uncontroversial. Rather, medical intervention for older patients may raise a number of challenging legal, as well as ethical, questions. Using a case example, this article outlines some of the salient legal issues implicated by an older person's right to be and act depressed and the exceptions to that right.
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Date Issued: 2002
Identifier: FSU_migr_medlawcenter_publications-0002
Format: Citation

Title: Fear, Anger, Fruits, and Veggies: Interactive Effects of Emotion and Message Framing on Health Behavior.
Creator: Gerend, Mary, Maner, Jon
Abstract/Description: Objective: Message framing is a theoretically grounded health communication strategy designed to motivate action by emphasizing the benefits of engaging in a particular behavior (gains) or the costs of failing to engage in the behavior (losses). This study investigated whether the effectiveness of a framed message depends on the emotional state of the message recipient. We examined effects of fear versus anger, emotions that frequently occur within the context of health decision-making....
Show moreObjective: Message framing is a theoretically grounded health communication strategy designed to motivate action by emphasizing the benefits of engaging in a particular behavior (gains) or the costs of failing to engage in the behavior (losses). This study investigated whether the effectiveness of a framed message depends on the emotional state of the message recipient. We examined effects of fear versus anger, emotions that frequently occur within the context of health decision-making. Methods: Undergraduate students (N = 133) were randomly assigned to complete a fear or anger induction task after which they read a gain- or loss-framed pamphlet promoting fruit and vegetable consumption. Fruit and vegetable intake (servings per day) was subsequently assessed over the following two weeks. Results: As predicted, a significant frame by emotion interaction was observed, such that participants in the fear condition reported eating more servings of fruits and vegetables after exposure to a loss-framed message than to a gain-framed message. In contrast, participants in the anger condition reported eating (marginally) more servings of fruits and vegetables after exposure to a gain-framed message than to a loss-framed message. That is, greater increases in fruit and vegetable intake from baseline to follow-up were observed when frame was matched to participants' emotional state than when it was mismatched. Conclusion: The effectiveness of framed health communications depends on the message recipient's current emotional state. Affective factors that are incidental to the behavior recommended in a health communication can affect the relative success of gain- and loss-framed appeals.
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Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: FSU_migr_mhs-0006, 10.1037/a0021981
Format: Citation

Title: Legal Issues Arising in the Process of Determining Decisional Capacity in Older Persons.
Creator: Kapp, Marshall B.
Abstract/Description: There is an increasing incidence of dementia, depression and other affective disorders, delirium, and other mental health problems such as psychoses among older individuals in the United States. Because the severity of mental illness, in terms of cognitive and behavioral impairment and therefore the illness' impact on functional ability, varies for different patients at different times along a continuum, there is not an automatic correlation between an older person's clinical diagnosis and a...
Show moreThere is an increasing incidence of dementia, depression and other affective disorders, delirium, and other mental health problems such as psychoses among older individuals in the United States. Because the severity of mental illness, in terms of cognitive and behavioral impairment and therefore the illness' impact on functional ability, varies for different patients at different times along a continuum, there is not an automatic correlation between an older person's clinical diagnosis and a dichotomous determination that the individual does or does not possess sufficient present capacity to personally make various sorts of fundamental life decisions. Decisional capacity assessment in the aged carries important implications both for the official adjudication of legal competence and for patient/client management in the vast majority of cases involving "bumbling through." There exists many salient, but generally overlooked, legal and ethical concerns immersed in the health care or human services provider's attempt to evaluate the decisional capacity of a particular older patient/client. This article surveys the most important of those concerns, which arise before we ever get to the point of applying assessment data to the relevant legal and ethical standards of decisional capacity.
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Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: FSU_migr_medlawcenter_publications-0003
Format: Citation

Title: The Limits of Evidence Based Medicine and Its Application to Mental Health Evidence-Based Practice. (Part One).
Creator: Gomory, Tomi
Abstract/Description: The present article outlines the major limitations of Evidence Based Medicine (EBM) and through a close review demonstrates that the three component EBM process model is a pseudo-scientific tool. Its "objective" component is the collection, systematic analysis, and listing of "effective" treatments applying a research hierarchy from most rigorous (systematic reviews of randomized control trials) to least rigorous (expert opinion). Its two subjective components are the clinical judgment of...
Show moreThe present article outlines the major limitations of Evidence Based Medicine (EBM) and through a close review demonstrates that the three component EBM process model is a pseudo-scientific tool. Its "objective" component is the collection, systematic analysis, and listing of "effective" treatments applying a research hierarchy from most rigorous (systematic reviews of randomized control trials) to least rigorous (expert opinion). Its two subjective components are the clinical judgment of helping professionals about which "evidence-based" treatment to select and the specific and unique relevant personal preferences of the potential recipients regarding treatment. This procedural mishmash provides no more rigor in choosing "best practice" than has been provided by good clinical practitioners in the past since both turn out to be subjective and authority based. The article also discusses EBM's further methodological dilution in the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) endorsed Evidence Based Mental Health Practice (EBP) movement. In EBP the allegedly rigorous EBM protocol is altered. Instead of systematic expert protocol driven EBM reviews of randomized controlled trials, NIMH sanctioned expert consensus panels decide "evidence-based practices." This further problematizes the development of best practices in mental health by converting it to a political process. The article concludes with some observations on these issues. In a second article (part two) forthcoming, Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) is examined as an example of an EBP that fails as a scientifically effective treatment despite its EBP certification and general popularity among practitioners.
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Date Issued: 2013
Identifier: FSU_migr_csw_faculty_publications-0031
Format: Citation

Title: Longevity Candidate Genes and Their Association with Personality Traits in the Elderly.
Creator: Luciano, Michelle, Lopez, Lorna, de Moor, Marleen, Harris, Sarah, Davies, Gail, Nutile, Teresa, Krueger, Robert F., Esko, Tönu, Schlessinger, David, Toshiko, Tanaka, Derringer,...
Show moreLuciano, Michelle, Lopez, Lorna, de Moor, Marleen, Harris, Sarah, Davies, Gail, Nutile, Teresa, Krueger, Robert F., Esko, Tönu, Schlessinger, David, Toshiko, Tanaka, Derringer, Jaime, Realo, Anu, Hansell, Narelle, Pergadia, Michele, Pesonen, Anu-Katriina, Sanna, Serena, Terracciano, Antonio, Madden, Pamela, Penninx, Brenda, Spinhoven, Philip, Hartman, Catherina, Oostra, Ben A., Janssens, A., Eriksson, Johan, Starr, John M., Cannas, Alessandra, Ferrucci, Luigi, Metspalu, Andres, Wright, Margeret, Heath, Andrew, van Duijn, Cornelia, Bierut, Laura, Raikkonen, Katri, Martin, Nicholas G., Ciullo, Marina, Rujescu, Dan, Boomsma, Dorret, Deary, Ian J.
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Abstract/Description: Human longevity and personality traits are both heritable and are consistently linked at the phenotypic level. We test the hypothesis that candidate genes influencing longevity in lower organisms are associated with variance in the five major dimensions of human personality (measured by the NEO-FFI and IPIP inventories) plus related mood states of anxiety and depression. Seventy single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in six brain expressed, longevity candidate genes (AFG3L2, FRAP1, MAT1A,...
Show moreHuman longevity and personality traits are both heritable and are consistently linked at the phenotypic level. We test the hypothesis that candidate genes influencing longevity in lower organisms are associated with variance in the five major dimensions of human personality (measured by the NEO-FFI and IPIP inventories) plus related mood states of anxiety and depression. Seventy single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in six brain expressed, longevity candidate genes (AFG3L2, FRAP1, MAT1A, MAT2A, SYNJ1, and SYNJ2) were typed in over 1,000 70-year old participants from the Lothian Birth Cohort of 1936 (LBC1936). No SNPs were associated with the personality and psychological distress traits at a Bonferroni corrected level of significance (P < 0.0002), but there was an over-representation of nominally significant (P < 0.05) SNPs in the synaptojanin-2 (SYNJ2) gene associated with agreeableness and symptoms of depression. Eight SNPs which showed nominally significant association across personality measurement instruments were tested in an extremely large replication sample of 17,106 participants. SNP rs350292, in SYNJ2, was significant: the minor allele was associated with an average decrease in NEO agreeableness scale scores of 0.25 points, and 0.67 points in the restricted analysis of elderly cohorts (most aged >60 years). Because we selected a specific set of longevity genes based on functional genomics findings, further research on other longevity gene candidates is warranted to discover whether they are relevant candidates for personality and psychological distress traits.
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Date Issued: 2012
Identifier: FSU_migr_geriatrics_faculty_publications-0013, 10.1002/ajmg.b.32013
Format: Citation

Title: Longitudinal Trajectories in Guilford-Zimmerman Temperament Survey Data: Results from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging.
Creator: Terracciano, Antonio, McCrae, Robert R., Costa, Paul
Abstract/Description: We examined developmental trends in personality traits over a 42-year time period by using data from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study on Aging (N = 2,359; individuals aged 17-98), collected from 1958 to 2002. Hierarchical linear modeling analyses revealed cumulative mean-level changes averaging about 0.5 SD across adulthood. Scales related to extraversion showed distinct developmental patterns: General Activity declined from age 60 to 90; Restraint increased; Ascendance peaked around age 60;...
Show moreWe examined developmental trends in personality traits over a 42-year time period by using data from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study on Aging (N = 2,359; individuals aged 17-98), collected from 1958 to 2002. Hierarchical linear modeling analyses revealed cumulative mean-level changes averaging about 0.5 SD across adulthood. Scales related to extraversion showed distinct developmental patterns: General Activity declined from age 60 to 90; Restraint increased; Ascendance peaked around age 60; and Sociability declined slightly. Scales related to neuroticism showed curvilinear declines up to age 70 and increases thereafter. Scales related to agreeableness and openness changed little; Masculinity declined linearly. We found significant individual variability in change. Although intercepts differed, trajectories were similar for men and women. Attrition and death had no effect on slopes. This study highlights the use of lower order traits in providing a more nuanced picture of developmental change.
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Date Issued: 2006
Identifier: FSU_migr_geriatrics_faculty_publications-0031
Format: Citation

Title: The Limits of Evidence Based Medicine and Its Application to Mental Health Evidence-Based Practice. (Part Two): Assertive Community Treatment assertively reviewed.
Creator: Gomory, Tomi
Abstract/Description: This article is the second of two published in EHPP, the first appeared in the current spring 2013 volume. The first article argued the very serious limitations of Evidence-Based Medicine (EBM) and its very popular mental health offshoot Evidence-Based Practice (EBP)(Gomory, in press). The present article is meant to be a consolidation and update of a 1999 analysis of Assertive Community Treatment (ACT), the best "validated" mental health EBP according the National Institute of Mental Health ...
Show moreThis article is the second of two published in EHPP, the first appeared in the current spring 2013 volume. The first article argued the very serious limitations of Evidence-Based Medicine (EBM) and its very popular mental health offshoot Evidence-Based Practice (EBP)(Gomory, in press). The present article is meant to be a consolidation and update of a 1999 analysis of Assertive Community Treatment (ACT), the best "validated" mental health EBP according the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and academic researchers. The present analysis reconfirms the failure of ACT as a treatment modality and a platform for successfully reducing hospitalization its touted consistent effect accept when ACT can apply administrative coercion to keep its clients out of the hospital or quickly discharge them. When ACT fails to have such administrative coercive control it does no better than other community mental health delivery systems. The use of ACT coercion begun over forty-years ago, the article further argues, set the table for conventionalizing psychiatric coercion as evidence-based best practice.
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Date Issued: 2013
Identifier: FSU_migr_csw_faculty_publications-0033
Format: Citation

Title: The Italian Version of the NEO PI-R: Conceptual and Empirical Support for the Use of Targeted Rotation.
Creator: Terracciano, Antonio
Abstract/Description: Earlier cross-cultural research on replicability of the Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI-R) suggested that personality trait structure is universal, but a recent study using an Italian translation has challenged this position. The present article reexamines the psychometric properties of the Italian NEO-PI-R and discusses the importance of orthogonal Procrustes rotation when the replicability of complex factor structures is tested. The arguments are supported by data from a slightly...
Show moreEarlier cross-cultural research on replicability of the Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI-R) suggested that personality trait structure is universal, but a recent study using an Italian translation has challenged this position. The present article reexamines the psychometric properties of the Italian NEO-PI-R and discusses the importance of orthogonal Procrustes rotation when the replicability of complex factor structures is tested. The arguments are supported by data from a slightly modified translation of the NEO-PI-R, which was administered to 575 Italian subjects. These data show a close replication of the American normative factor structure when targeted rotation is used. Further, the validity of the Italian NEO-PI-R is supported by external correlates, such as demographic variables (age, sex, education), depression, and affect scales.
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Date Issued: 2003
Identifier: FSU_migr_geriatrics_faculty_publications-0037, 10.1016/S0191-8869(03)00035-7
Format: Citation

Title: Individual Difference Variables, Affective Differentiation, and the Structures of Affect.
Creator: Terracciano, Antonio, McCrae, Robert R., Hagemann, Dirk, Costa, Paul
Abstract/Description: Methodological arguments are usually invoked to explain variations in the structure of affect. Using self-rated affect from Italian samples (N=600), we show that individual difference variables related to affective differentiation can moderate the observed structure. Indices of circumplexity and congruence coefficients to the hypothesized target were used to quantify the observed structures. Results did not support the circumplex model as a universal structure. A circular structure with axes...
Show moreMethodological arguments are usually invoked to explain variations in the structure of affect. Using self-rated affect from Italian samples (N=600), we show that individual difference variables related to affective differentiation can moderate the observed structure. Indices of circumplexity and congruence coefficients to the hypothesized target were used to quantify the observed structures. Results did not support the circumplex model as a universal structure. A circular structure with axes of activation and valence was approximated only among more affectively differentiated groups: students and respondents with high scores on Openness to Feelings and measures of negative emotionality. A different structure, with unipolar Positive Affect and Negative Affect factors, was observed among adults and respondents with low Openness to Feelings and negative emotionality. The observed structure of affect will depend in part on the nature of the sample studied.
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Date Issued: 2003
Identifier: FSU_migr_geriatrics_faculty_publications-0036
Format: Citation

Title: Heritability of Cardiovascular and Personality Traits in 6,148 Sardinians.
Creator: Pilia, Giuseppe, Chen, Wei-Min, Scuteri, Angelo, Orrú, Marco, Albai, Giuseppe, Dei, Mariano, Lai, Sandra, Usala, Gianluca, Lai, Monica, Loi, Paola, Mameli, Cinzia, Vacca,...
Show morePilia, Giuseppe, Chen, Wei-Min, Scuteri, Angelo, Orrú, Marco, Albai, Giuseppe, Dei, Mariano, Lai, Sandra, Usala, Gianluca, Lai, Monica, Loi, Paola, Mameli, Cinzia, Vacca, Loredana, Deiana, Manila, Olla, Nazario, Masala, Marco, Cao, Antonio, Najjar, Samer, Terracciano, Antonio, Nedorezov, Timur, Sharov, Alexei, Zonderman, Alan, Abecasis, Gonçalo, Costa, Paul, Lakatta, Edward, Schlessinger, David
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Abstract/Description: In family studies, phenotypic similarities between relatives yield information on the overall contribution of genes to trait variation. Large samples are important for these family studies, especially when comparing heritability between subgroups such as young and old, or males and females. We recruited a cohort of 6,148 participants, aged 14-102 y, from four clustered towns in Sardinia. The cohort includes 34,469 relative pairs. To extract genetic information, we implemented software for...
Show moreIn family studies, phenotypic similarities between relatives yield information on the overall contribution of genes to trait variation. Large samples are important for these family studies, especially when comparing heritability between subgroups such as young and old, or males and females. We recruited a cohort of 6,148 participants, aged 14-102 y, from four clustered towns in Sardinia. The cohort includes 34,469 relative pairs. To extract genetic information, we implemented software for variance components heritability analysis, designed to handle large pedigrees, analyze multiple traits simultaneously, and model heterogeneity. Here, we report heritability analyses for 98 quantitative traits, focusing on facets of personality and cardiovascular function. We also summarize results of bivariate analyses for all pairs of traits and of heterogeneity analyses for each trait. We found a significant genetic component for every trait. On average, genetic effects explained 40% of the variance for 38 blood tests, 51% for five anthropometric measures, 25% for 20 measures of cardiovascular function, and 19% for 35 personality traits. Four traits showed significant evidence for an X-linked component. Bivariate analyses suggested overlapping genetic determinants for many traits, including multiple personality facets and several traits related to the metabolic syndrome; but we found no evidence for shared genetic determinants that might underlie the reported association of some personality traits and cardiovascular risk factors. Models allowing for heterogeneity suggested that, in this cohort, the genetic variance was typically larger in females and in younger individuals, but interesting exceptions were observed. For example, narrow heritability of blood pressure was approximately 26% in individuals more than 42 y old, but only approximately 8% in younger individuals. Despite the heterogeneity in effect sizes, the same loci appear to contribute to variance in young and old, and in males and females. In summary, we find significant evidence for heritability of many medically important traits, including cardiovascular function and personality. Evidence for heterogeneity by age and sex suggests that models allowing for these differences will be important in mapping quantitative traits.
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Date Issued: 2006
Identifier: FSU_migr_geriatrics_faculty_publications-0033, 10.1371/journal.pgen.0020132
Format: Citation

Title: Hierarchical Linear Modeling Analyses of the NEO-PI-R Scales in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging.
Creator: Terracciano, Antonio, McCrae, Robert R., Brant, Larry, Costa, Paul
Abstract/Description: The authors examined age trends in the 5 factors and 30 facets assessed by the Revised NEO Personality Inventory in Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging data (N=1,944; 5,027 assessments) collected between 1989 and 2004. Consistent with cross-sectional results, hierarchical linear modeling analyses showed gradual personality changes in adulthood: a decline in Neuroticism up to age 80, stability and then decline in Extraversion, decline in Openness, increase in Agreeableness, and increase in...
Show moreThe authors examined age trends in the 5 factors and 30 facets assessed by the Revised NEO Personality Inventory in Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging data (N=1,944; 5,027 assessments) collected between 1989 and 2004. Consistent with cross-sectional results, hierarchical linear modeling analyses showed gradual personality changes in adulthood: a decline in Neuroticism up to age 80, stability and then decline in Extraversion, decline in Openness, increase in Agreeableness, and increase in Conscientiousness up to age 70. Some facets showed different curves from the factor they define. Birth cohort effects were modest, and there were no consistent Gender x Age interactions. Significant nonnormative changes were found for all 5 factors; they were not explained by attrition but might be due to genetic factors, disease, or life experience.
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Date Issued: 2005
Identifier: FSU_migr_geriatrics_faculty_publications-0030, 10.1037/0882-7974.20.3.493
Format: Citation

Title: High Neuroticism and Low Conscientiousness Are Associated with Interleukin-6.
Creator: Sutin, Angelina, Terracciano, Antonio, Deiana, Barbara, Naitza, Silvia, Ferrucci, Luigi, Uda, Manuela, Schlessinger, David, Costa, Paul
Abstract/Description: BACKGROUND: High Neuroticism and low Conscientiousness are frequently implicated in health-risk behaviors, such as smoking and overeating, as well as health outcomes, including mortality. Their associations with physiological markers of morbidity and mortality, such as inflammation, are less well documented. The present research examines the association between the five major dimensions of personality and interleukin-6 (IL-6), a pro-inflammatory cytokine often elevated in patients with...
Show moreBACKGROUND: High Neuroticism and low Conscientiousness are frequently implicated in health-risk behaviors, such as smoking and overeating, as well as health outcomes, including mortality. Their associations with physiological markers of morbidity and mortality, such as inflammation, are less well documented. The present research examines the association between the five major dimensions of personality and interleukin-6 (IL-6), a pro-inflammatory cytokine often elevated in patients with chronic morbidity and frailty. METHOD: A population-based sample (n=4923) from four towns in Sardinia, Italy, had their levels of IL-6 measured and completed a comprehensive personality questionnaire, the NEO-PI-R. Analyses controlled for factors known to have an effect on IL-6: age; sex; smoking; weight; aspirin use; disease burden. RESULTS: High Neuroticism and low Conscientiousness were both associated with higher levels of IL-6. The findings remained significant after controlling for the relevant covariates. Similar results were found for C-reactive protein, a related marker of chronic inflammation. Further, smoking and weight partially mediated the association between impulsivity-related traits and higher IL-6 levels. Finally, logistic regressions revealed that participants either in the top 10% of the distribution of Neuroticism or the bottom 10% of conscientiousness had an approximately 40% greater risk of exceeding clinically relevant thresholds of IL-6. CONCLUSIONS: Consistent with the literature on personality and self-reported health, individuals high on Neuroticism or low on Conscientiousness show elevated levels of this inflammatory cytokine. Identifying critical medical biomarkers associated with personality may help to elucidate the physiological mechanisms responsible for the observed connections between personality traits and physical health.
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Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: FSU_migr_mhs-0026, 10.1017/S0033291709992029
Format: Citation

Title: Impulsivity-Related Traits Are Associated with Higher White Blood Cell Counts.
Creator: Sutin, Angelina, Milaneschi, Yuri, Cannas, Alessandra, Ferrucci, Luigi, Uda, Manuela, Schlessinger, David, Zonderman, Alan, Terracciano, Antonio
Abstract/Description: A chronically elevated white blood cell (WBC) count is a risk factor for morbidity and mortality. The present research tests whether facets of impulsivity-impulsiveness, excitement-seeking, self-discipline, and deliberation-are associated with chronically elevated WBC counts. Community-dwelling participants (N = 5,652) from Sardinia, Italy, completed a standard personality questionnaire and provided blood samples concurrently and again 3 years later. Higher scores on impulsivity, in...
Show moreA chronically elevated white blood cell (WBC) count is a risk factor for morbidity and mortality. The present research tests whether facets of impulsivity-impulsiveness, excitement-seeking, self-discipline, and deliberation-are associated with chronically elevated WBC counts. Community-dwelling participants (N = 5,652) from Sardinia, Italy, completed a standard personality questionnaire and provided blood samples concurrently and again 3 years later. Higher scores on impulsivity, in particular impulsiveness and excitement-seeking, were related to higher total WBC counts and higher lymphocyte counts at both time points. Impulsiveness was a predictor of chronic inflammation: for every standard deviation difference in this trait, there was an almost 25% higher risk of elevated WBC counts at both time points (OR = 1.23, 95% CI = 1.10-1.38). These associations were mediated, in part, by smoking and body mass index. The findings demonstrate that links between psychological processes and immunity are not limited to acute stressors; stable personality dispositions are associated with a chronic inflammatory state.
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Date Issued: 2012
Identifier: FSU_migr_mhs-0013, 10.1007/s10865-011-9390-0
Format: Citation

Title: Improving Outcomes for Youth with ADHD: A Conceptual Framework for Combined Neurocognitive and Skill-Based Treatment Approaches.
Creator: Chacko, Anil, Kofler, Michael, Jarrett, Matthew
Abstract/Description: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a prevalent and chronic mental health condition that often results in substantial impairments throughout life. Although evidence-based pharmacological and psychosocial treatments exist for ADHD, effects of these treatments are acute, do not typically generalize into non-treated settings, rarely sustain over time, and insufficiently affect key areas of functional impairment (i.e., family, social, and academic functioning) and executive...
Show moreAttention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a prevalent and chronic mental health condition that often results in substantial impairments throughout life. Although evidence-based pharmacological and psychosocial treatments exist for ADHD, effects of these treatments are acute, do not typically generalize into non-treated settings, rarely sustain over time, and insufficiently affect key areas of functional impairment (i.e., family, social, and academic functioning) and executive functioning. The limitations of current evidence-based treatments may be due to the inability of these treatments to address underlying neurocognitive deficits that are related to the symptoms of ADHD and associated areas of functional impairment. Although efforts have been made to directly target the underlying neurocognitive deficits of ADHD, extant neurocognitive interventions have shown limited efficacy, possibly due to misspecification of training targets and inadequate potency. We argue herein that despite these limitations, next-generation neurocognitive training programs that more precisely and potently target neurocognitive deficits may lead to optimal outcomes when used in combination with specific skill-based psychosocial treatments for ADHD. We discuss the rationale for such a combined treatment approach, prominent examples of this combined treatment approach for other mental health disorders, and potential combined treatment approaches for pediatric ADHD. Finally, we conclude with directions for future research necessary to develop a combined neurocognitive + skill-based treatment for youth with ADHD.
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Date Issued: 2014
Identifier: FSU_migr_psy_faculty_publications-0016, 10.1007/s10567-014-0171-5
Format: Citation

Title: Rater Wealth Predicts Perceptions of Outgroup Competence.
Creator: Chan, Wayne, McCrae, Robert R., Rogers, Darrin, Weimer, Amy, Greenberg, David, Terracciano, Antonio
Abstract/Description: National income has a pervasive influence on the perception of ingroup stereotypes, with high status and wealthy targets perceived as more competent. In two studies we investigated the degree to which economic wealth of raters related to perceptions of outgroup competence. Raters' economic wealth predicted trait ratings when 1) raters in 48 other cultures rated Americans' competence and 2) Mexican Americans rated Anglo Americans' competence. Rater wealth also predicted ratings of...
Show moreNational income has a pervasive influence on the perception of ingroup stereotypes, with high status and wealthy targets perceived as more competent. In two studies we investigated the degree to which economic wealth of raters related to perceptions of outgroup competence. Raters' economic wealth predicted trait ratings when 1) raters in 48 other cultures rated Americans' competence and 2) Mexican Americans rated Anglo Americans' competence. Rater wealth also predicted ratings of interpersonal warmth on the culture level. In conclusion, raters' economic wealth, either nationally or individually, is significantly associated with perception of outgroup members, supporting the notion that ingroup conditions or stereotypes function as frames of reference in evaluating outgroup traits.
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Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: FSU_migr_geriatrics_faculty_publications-0012, 10.1016/j.jrp.2011.08.001
Format: Citation

Title: Intra-Individual Change in Personality Stability and Age.
Creator: Terracciano, Antonio, McCrae, Robert R., Costa, Paul
Abstract/Description: The stability of individual differences in personality traits is typically examined at the group level with test-retest correlations across two assessments. For 684 subjects (age range 17-76) we computed individual coefficients from three sequential assessments to evaluate intra-individual (i.e., within-person) change in stability over time. For both trait and profile (ipsative) stability, results indicate that intra-individual stability increases up to age 30 and then plateaus. Neither...
Show moreThe stability of individual differences in personality traits is typically examined at the group level with test-retest correlations across two assessments. For 684 subjects (age range 17-76) we computed individual coefficients from three sequential assessments to evaluate intra-individual (i.e., within-person) change in stability over time. For both trait and profile (ipsative) stability, results indicate that intra-individual stability increases up to age 30 and then plateaus. Neither demographic variables (sex, ethnicity, education, and secular trends), nor the standing on the five major dimensions of personality, were predictors of change in trait stability. Contrary to results from studies of adolescents, personality "maturity" was unrelated to personality stability in adulthood. These findings support the notion that personality stability plateaus early in adulthood.
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Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: FSU_migr_geriatrics_faculty_publications-0019, 10.1016/j.jrp.2009.09.006
Format: Citation

Title: Meta-Analysis of Genome-Wide Association Studies for Personality.
Creator: de Moor, Marleen, Costa, Paul, Terracciano, Antonio, Krueger, Robert F., de Geus, Eco, Toshiko, Tanaka, Penninx, Brenda, Esko, Tönu, Madden, P., Derringer, Jaime, Amin, Najaf,...
Show morede Moor, Marleen, Costa, Paul, Terracciano, Antonio, Krueger, Robert F., de Geus, Eco, Toshiko, Tanaka, Penninx, Brenda, Esko, Tönu, Madden, P., Derringer, Jaime, Amin, Najaf, Willemsen, Gonneke, Hottenga, Jouke-Jan, Distel, M., Uda, Manuela, Sanna, Serena, Spinhoven, Philip, Hartman, Catherina, Sullivan, P., Realo, Anu, Allik, Jüri, Heath, Andrew, Pergadia, M., Agrawal, Arpana, Lin, P., Grucza, Richard, Nutile, Teresa, Ciullo, Marina, Rujescu, Dan, Giegling, Ina, Konte, Bettina, Widen, Elisabeth, Cousminer, D., Eriksson, Johan, Palotie, Aarno, Peltonen, L., Luciano, Michelle, Tenesa, A., Davies, Gail, Lopez, Lorna, Hansell, Narelle, Medland, Sarah, Ferrucci, Luigi, Schlessinger, David, Montgomery, G., Wright, Margeret, Aulchenko, Y., Janssens, A., Oostra, Ben A., Metspalu, Andres, Abecasis, Gonçalo, Deary, Ian J., Räikkönen, K., Bierut, Laura, Martin, Nicholas G., van Duijn, Cornelia, Boomsma, Dorret
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Abstract/Description: Personality can be thought of as a set of characteristics that influence people's thoughts, feelings and behavior across a variety of settings. Variation in personality is predictive of many outcomes in life, including mental health. Here we report on a meta-analysis of genome-wide association (GWA) data for personality in 10 discovery samples (17,375 adults) and five in silico replication samples (3294 adults). All participants were of European ancestry. Personality scores for Neuroticism,...
Show morePersonality can be thought of as a set of characteristics that influence people's thoughts, feelings and behavior across a variety of settings. Variation in personality is predictive of many outcomes in life, including mental health. Here we report on a meta-analysis of genome-wide association (GWA) data for personality in 10 discovery samples (17,375 adults) and five in silico replication samples (3294 adults). All participants were of European ancestry. Personality scores for Neuroticism, Extraversion, Openness to Experience, Agreeableness and Conscientiousness were based on the NEO Five-Factor Inventory. Genotype data of ≈ 2.4M single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs; directly typed and imputed using HapMap data) were available. In the discovery samples, classical association analyses were performed under an additive model followed by meta-analysis using the weighted inverse variance method. Results showed genome-wide significance for Openness to Experience near the RASA1 gene on 5q14.3 (rs1477268 and rs2032794, P=2.8 × 10(-8) and 3.1 × 10(-8)) and for Conscientiousness in the brain-expressed KATNAL2 gene on 18q21.1 (rs2576037, P=4.9 × 10(-8)). We further conducted a gene-based test that confirmed the association of KATNAL2 to Conscientiousness. In silico replication did not, however, show significant associations of the top SNPs with Openness and Conscientiousness, although the direction of effect of the KATNAL2 SNP on Conscientiousness was consistent in all replication samples. Larger scale GWA studies and alternative approaches are required for confirmation of KATNAL2 as a novel gene affecting Conscientiousness.
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Date Issued: 2012
Identifier: FSU_migr_geriatrics_faculty_publications-0010, 10.1038/mp.2010.128
Format: Citation

Title: Meta-analysis of Genome-wide Association Studies Identifies Common Variants in CTNNA2 Associated with Excitement-seeking.
Creator: Terracciano, Antonio, Esko, Tönu, Sutin, Angelina, de Moor, Marleen, Meirelles, Osorio, Zhu, G., Tanaka, Toshiko, Giegling, Ina, Nutile, Teresa, Realo, Anu, Allik, J., Hansell,...
Show moreTerracciano, Antonio, Esko, Tönu, Sutin, Angelina, de Moor, Marleen, Meirelles, Osorio, Zhu, G., Tanaka, Toshiko, Giegling, Ina, Nutile, Teresa, Realo, Anu, Allik, J., Hansell, Narelle, Wright, Margeret, Montgomery, G., Willemsen, Gonneke, Hottenga, Jouke-Jan, Friedl, M., Ruggiero, D., Sorice, R., Sanna, Serena, Cannas, Alessandra, Räikkönen, K., Widen, Elisabeth, Palotie, Aarno, Eriksson, Johan, Cucca, Francesco, Krueger, Robert F., Lahti, Jari, Luciano, Michelle, Smoller, Jordan W., van Duijn, Cornelia, Abecasis, Gonçalo, Boomsma, Dorret, Ciullo, Marina, Costa, Paul, Ferrucci, Luigi, Martin, Nicholas G., Metspalu, Andres, Rujescu, Dan, Schlessinger, David, Uda, Manuela
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Abstract/Description: The tendency to seek stimulating activities and intense sensations define excitement-seeking, a personality trait akin to some aspects of sensation-seeking. This trait is a central feature of extraversion and is a component of the multifaceted impulsivity construct. Those who score high on measures of excitement-seeking are more likely to smoke, use other drugs, gamble, drive recklessly, have unsafe/unprotected sex and engage in other risky behaviors of clinical and social relevance. To...
Show moreThe tendency to seek stimulating activities and intense sensations define excitement-seeking, a personality trait akin to some aspects of sensation-seeking. This trait is a central feature of extraversion and is a component of the multifaceted impulsivity construct. Those who score high on measures of excitement-seeking are more likely to smoke, use other drugs, gamble, drive recklessly, have unsafe/unprotected sex and engage in other risky behaviors of clinical and social relevance. To identify common genetic variants associated with the Excitement-Seeking scale of the Revised NEO Personality Inventory, we performed genome-wide association studies in six samples of European ancestry (N=7860), and combined the results in a meta-analysis. We identified a genome-wide significant association between the Excitement-Seeking scale and rs7600563 (P=2 × 10(-8)). This single-nucleotide polymorphism maps within the catenin cadherin-associated protein, alpha 2 (CTNNA2) gene, which encodes for a brain-expressed α-catenin critical for synaptic contact. The effect of rs7600563 was in the same direction in all six samples, but did not replicate in additional samples (N=5105). The results provide insight into the genetics of excitement-seeking and risk-taking, and are relevant to hyperactivity, substance use, antisocial and bipolar disorders.
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Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: FSU_migr_mhs-0018, 10.1038/tp.2011.42
Format: Citation

Title: The Neural Correlates of Neuroticism Differ by Sex Prospectively Mediate Depressive Symptoms Among Older Women.
Creator: Sutin, Angelina, Beason-Held, Lori, Dotson, Vonetta, Resnick, Susan M., Costa, Paul
Abstract/Description: BACKGROUND: Mood disorders in old age increase the risk of morbidity and mortality for individuals and healthcare costs for society. Trait Neuroticism, a strong risk factor for such disorders into old age, shares common genetic variance with depression, but the more proximal biological mechanisms that mediate this connection are not well understood. Further, whether sex differences in the neural correlates of Neuroticism mirror sex differences in behavioral measures is unknown. The present...
Show moreBACKGROUND: Mood disorders in old age increase the risk of morbidity and mortality for individuals and healthcare costs for society. Trait Neuroticism, a strong risk factor for such disorders into old age, shares common genetic variance with depression, but the more proximal biological mechanisms that mediate this connection are not well understood. Further, whether sex differences in the neural correlates of Neuroticism mirror sex differences in behavioral measures is unknown. The present research identifies sex differences in the stable neural activity associated with Neuroticism and tests whether this activity prospectively mediates Neuroticism and subsequent depressive symptoms. METHODS: A total of 100 (46 female) older participants (>55years) underwent a resting-state PET scan twice, approximately two years apart, and completed measures of Neuroticism and depressive symptoms twice. RESULTS: Replicating at both time points, Neuroticism correlated positively with resting-state regional cerebral blood-flow activity in the hippocampus and midbrain in women and the middle temporal gyrus in men. For women, hippocampal activity mediated the association between Neuroticism at baseline and depressive symptoms at follow-up. The reverse mediational model was not significant. CONCLUSIONS: Neuroticism was associated with stable neural activity in regions implicated in emotional processing and regulation for women but not men. Among women, Neuroticism prospectively predicted depressive symptoms through greater activity in the right hippocampus, suggesting one neural mechanism between Neuroticism and depression for women. Identifying responsible mechanisms for the association between Neuroticism and psychiatric disorders may help guide research on pharmacological interventions for such disorders across the lifespan.
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Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: FSU_migr_mhs-0021, 10.1016/j.jad.2010.06.004
Format: Citation

Title: Neuroticism, Depressive Symptoms, and Serum BDNF.
Creator: Terracciano, Antonio, Lobina, Monia, Piras, Maria, Mulas, Antonella, Cannas, Alessandra, Meirelles, Osorio, Sutin, Angelina, Zonderman, Alan, Uda, Manuela, Crisponi, Laura,...
Show moreTerracciano, Antonio, Lobina, Monia, Piras, Maria, Mulas, Antonella, Cannas, Alessandra, Meirelles, Osorio, Sutin, Angelina, Zonderman, Alan, Uda, Manuela, Crisponi, Laura, Schlessinger, David
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Abstract/Description: OBJECTIVE: Animal models and clinical studies suggest that brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is involved in the pathophysiology of depression. We test whether serum and plasma levels of BDNF are associated with trait neuroticism and its facets and with state measures of depressive symptoms. METHODS: In a community-based cohort (N = 2099), we measured serum and plasma BDNF concentrations and administered the Revised NEO Personality Inventory and the Center for Epidemiological Studies...
Show moreOBJECTIVE: Animal models and clinical studies suggest that brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is involved in the pathophysiology of depression. We test whether serum and plasma levels of BDNF are associated with trait neuroticism and its facets and with state measures of depressive symptoms. METHODS: In a community-based cohort (N = 2099), we measured serum and plasma BDNF concentrations and administered the Revised NEO Personality Inventory and the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale. Covariates included age, sex, cigarette smoking, obesity, and antidepressant use. RESULTS: Serum BDNF concentrations were inversely related to neuroticism (r = -0.074, p < .001), in particular the depression facet (r = -0.08, p < .001). Lower BDNF concentrations were also associated with severe depressive symptoms (Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale ≥ 28; odds ratio = 0.906; 95% confidence interval = 0.851-0.965). The association of serum BDNF with neuroticism was independent of depressive symptoms, indicating that serum BDNF might represent a biological correlate of neuroticism and not just of transient depressive states. Plasma BDNF was not associated with measures of depression. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that lower serum BDNF is associated with both a dispositional vulnerability to depression and acute depressive states in the general population.
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Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: FSU_migr_mhs-0019, 10.1097/PSY.0b013e3182306a4f
Format: Citation

Title: Coercion: The Only Constant In Psychiatric Practice?.
Creator: Gomory, Tomi, Cohen, David, Kirk, Stuart A.
Abstract/Description: In the Western world, since at least the 15th century, state-sanctioned force has been employed to control those who disturb others by their violent or existentially destabilizing behaviors such as threatening or inflicting self-harm. Coercing the mad into madhouses, separating and detaining them from the rest of society, and forcing them to comply with their keepers' wishes, occurred before physicians became involved in theorizing about the meaning or origins of madness, and it continues to...
Show moreIn the Western world, since at least the 15th century, state-sanctioned force has been employed to control those who disturb others by their violent or existentially destabilizing behaviors such as threatening or inflicting self-harm. Coercing the mad into madhouses, separating and detaining them from the rest of society, and forcing them to comply with their keepers' wishes, occurred before physicians became involved in theorizing about the meaning or origins of madness, and it continues to distinguish psychiatric practice to this day. It is widely recognized that the mad used to be confined, beaten, tied, shocked or whirled into submission, but it seems less appreciated today by scholars, practitioners, and the general public that the physical control of "dangerous" mental patients remains a central function, and perhaps the only constant function, of public mental health systems.
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Date Issued: 2013
Identifier: FSU_migr_csw_faculty_publications-0042
Format: Citation

Title: Chronic Inflammation and Quality of Life in Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study Using Biomarkers to Predict Emotional and Relational Outcomes.
Creator: Nowakowski, Alexandra
Abstract/Description: BACKGROUND: This study explores relationships between chronic inflammation and quality of life, making a case for biopsychosocial modeling of these associations. It builds on research from social and clinical disciplines connecting chronic conditions, and inflammatory conditions specifically, to reduced quality of life. METHODS: Data from Wave I of the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project are modeled using ordinal logistic and ordinary least-squares regression techniques....
Show moreBACKGROUND: This study explores relationships between chronic inflammation and quality of life, making a case for biopsychosocial modeling of these associations. It builds on research from social and clinical disciplines connecting chronic conditions, and inflammatory conditions specifically, to reduced quality of life. METHODS: Data from Wave I of the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project are modeled using ordinal logistic and ordinary least-squares regression techniques. Inflammation is measured using C-reactive protein; quality of life is conceptualized as happiness with life overall as well as intimate relationships specifically. RESULTS: For most NSHAP participants, chronic inflammation significantly predicts lower odds of reporting high QoL on both emotional and relational measures. Social structural factors do not confound these associations. Inconsistent results for participants with very high (over 6 mg/L) CRP measurements suggest additional social influences. CONCLUSIONS: Findings echo strong theoretical justification for investigating relationships between CRP and QoL in greater detail. Further research should explore possible mediation of these associations by sociomedical sequelae of chronic disease as well as social relationship dynamics. Elaboration is also needed on the mechanisms by which social disadvantage may cause chronic inflammation.
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Date Issued: 2014
Identifier: FSU_migr_mhs-0043, 10.1186/s12955-014-0141-0
Format: Citation

Title: Cholesterol, Triglycerides, and the Five-Factor Model of Personality.
Creator: Sutin, Angelina, Terracciano, Antonio, Deiana, Barbara, Uda, Manuela, Schlessinger, David, Lakatta, Edward, Costa, Paul
Abstract/Description: Unhealthy lipid levels are among the leading controllable risk factors for coronary heart disease. To identify the psychological factors associated with dyslipidemia, this study investigates the personality correlates of cholesterol (total, LDL, and HDL) and triglycerides. A community-based sample (N=5532) from Sardinia, Italy, had their cholesterol and triglyceride levels assessed and completed a comprehensive personality questionnaire, the NEO-PI-R. All analyses controlled for age, sex, BMI...
Show moreUnhealthy lipid levels are among the leading controllable risk factors for coronary heart disease. To identify the psychological factors associated with dyslipidemia, this study investigates the personality correlates of cholesterol (total, LDL, and HDL) and triglycerides. A community-based sample (N=5532) from Sardinia, Italy, had their cholesterol and triglyceride levels assessed and completed a comprehensive personality questionnaire, the NEO-PI-R. All analyses controlled for age, sex, BMI, smoking, drinking, hypertension, and diabetes. Low Conscientiousness and traits related to impulsivity were associated with lower HDL cholesterol and higher triglycerides. Compared to the lowest 10%, those who scored in top 10% on Impulsivity had a 2.5 times greater risk of exceeding the clinical threshold for elevated triglycerides (OR=2.51, CI=1.56-4.07). In addition, sex moderated the association between trait depression (a component of Neuroticism) and HDL cholesterol, such that trait depression was associated with lower levels of HDL cholesterol in women but not men. When considering the connection between personality and health, unhealthy lipid profiles may be one intermediate biomarker between personality and morbidity and mortality.
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Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: FSU_migr_mhs-0028, 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2010.01.012
Format: Citation

Title: Climatic Warmth and National Wealth: Some Culture-Level Determinants of National Character Stereotypes.
Creator: McCrae, Robert R., Terracciano, Antonio, Realo, Anu, Allik, Jüri
Abstract/Description: National character stereotypes are widely shared, but do not reflect assessed levels of personality traits. In this article we present data illustrating the divergence of stereotypes and assessed personality traits in north and south Italy, test hypotheses about the associations of temperature and national wealth with national character stereotypes in 49 cultures, and explore possible links to national values and beliefs. Results suggest that warmth and wealth are common determinants of...
Show moreNational character stereotypes are widely shared, but do not reflect assessed levels of personality traits. In this article we present data illustrating the divergence of stereotypes and assessed personality traits in north and south Italy, test hypotheses about the associations of temperature and national wealth with national character stereotypes in 49 cultures, and explore possible links to national values and beliefs. Results suggest that warmth and wealth are common determinants of national stereotypes, but that there are also idiosyncratic influences on the perceptions of individual nations.
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Date Issued: 2007
Identifier: FSU_migr_geriatrics_faculty_publications-0026, 10.1002/per.647
Format: Citation

Title: Personality Predictors of Longevity: Activity, Emotional Stability, and Conscientiousness.
Creator: Terracciano, Antonio, Löckenhoff, Corinna, Zonderman, Alan, Ferrucci, Luigi, Costa, Paul
Abstract/Description: OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between personality traits and longevity. METHODS: Using the Guilford-Zimmerman Temperament Survey, personality traits were assessed in 2359 participants (38% women; age = 17 to 98 years, mean = 50 years) from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging, starting in 1958. Over the duration of the study, 943 (40%) participants died, on average 18 years after their personality assessment. The association of each trait with longevity was examined by Cox...
Show moreOBJECTIVE: To examine the association between personality traits and longevity. METHODS: Using the Guilford-Zimmerman Temperament Survey, personality traits were assessed in 2359 participants (38% women; age = 17 to 98 years, mean = 50 years) from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging, starting in 1958. Over the duration of the study, 943 (40%) participants died, on average 18 years after their personality assessment. The association of each trait with longevity was examined by Cox regression controlling for demographic variables. RESULTS: In preliminary analyses among the deceased, those who scored 1 standard deviation (SD) above the mean on General Activity (a facet of Extraversion), Emotional Stability (low Neuroticism), or Conscientiousness lived on average 2 to 3 years longer than those scoring 1 SD below the mean. Survival analyses on the full sample confirmed the association of General Activity, Emotional Stability, and Conscientiousness with lower risk of death, such that every 1-SD increase was related to about 13%, 15%, and 27% risk reduction, respectively. The association of personality traits with longevity was largely independent from the influence of smoking and obesity. Personality predictors of longevity did not differ by sex, except for Ascendance (a facet of Extraversion). Emotional Stability was a significant predictor when the analyses were limited to deaths due to cardiovascular disease, with comparable effect sizes for General Activity and Conscientiousness. CONCLUSIONS: In a large sample of generally healthy individuals followed for almost five decades, longevity was associated with being conscientious, emotionally stable, and active.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: FSU_migr_geriatrics_faculty_publications-0029, 10.1097/PSY.0b013e31817b9371
Format: Citation

Title: Personality Traits and Sex Differences in Emotion Recognition Among African Americans and Caucasians.
Creator: Terracciano, Antonio, Merritt, Marcellus, Zonderman, Alan, Evans, Michele
Abstract/Description: This study investigated the role of personality traits and sex differences in emotion recognition. In several studies using samples with mostly young Caucasian and Asian students, Matsumoto et al.1 found strong evidence that recognition of emotional expression in faces was related to Openness to Experience and, to a lesser extent, Conscientiousness. Openness is one of the major dimensions of the five-factor model 2 (FFM) of personality that might play an important role in the recognition of...
Show moreThis study investigated the role of personality traits and sex differences in emotion recognition. In several studies using samples with mostly young Caucasian and Asian students, Matsumoto et al.1 found strong evidence that recognition of emotional expression in faces was related to Openness to Experience and, to a lesser extent, Conscientiousness. Openness is one of the major dimensions of the five-factor model 2 (FFM) of personality that might play an important role in the recognition of emotion. Open individuals tend to be intellectually curious, imaginative, and sensitive to aesthetics and inner feelings. The present study seeks to replicate Matsumoto et al. and extend the findings to an older African American and an older Caucasian sample. Furthermore, this study tests whether the relation between personality traits and emotion recognition can be replicated with a purely verbal task. Finally, the hypothesis that women tend to be better than men in decoding facial expressions of emotion will be tested.
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Date Issued: 2003
Identifier: FSU_migr_geriatrics_faculty_publications-0038
Format: Citation

Title: Personality Typology in Relation to Muscle Strength.
Creator: Tolea, Magdalena, Terracciano, Antonio, Milaneschi, Yuri, Metter, E. Jeffrey, Ferrucci, Luigi
Abstract/Description: BACKGROUND: Physical inactivity plays a central role in the age-related decline in muscle strength, an important component in the process leading to disability. Personality, a significant determinant of health behaviors including physical activity, could therefore impact muscle strength throughout adulthood and affect the rate of muscle strength decline with aging. Personality typologies combining "high neuroticism" (N ≥ 55), "low extraversion" (E
Show moreBACKGROUND: Physical inactivity plays a central role in the age-related decline in muscle strength, an important component in the process leading to disability. Personality, a significant determinant of health behaviors including physical activity, could therefore impact muscle strength throughout adulthood and affect the rate of muscle strength decline with aging. Personality typologies combining "high neuroticism" (N ≥ 55), "low extraversion" (E < 45), and "low conscientiousness" (C < 45) have been associated with multiple risky health behaviors but have not been investigated with regards to muscle strength. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to investigate associations between individual and combined typologies consisting of high N, low E, and low C and muscle strength, and whether physical activity and body mass index act as mediators. METHOD: This cross-sectional study includes 1,220 participants from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging. RESULTS: High N was found among 18%, low E among 31%, and low C among 26% of the sample. High levels of N, particularly when combined with either low E or low C, were associated with lower muscle strength compared with having only one or none of these personality types. Facet analyses suggest an important role for the N components of depression and hostility. Physical activity level appears to partly explain some of these associations. CONCLUSION: Findings provide support for the notion that the typological approach to personality may be useful in identifying specific personality types at risk of low muscle strength and offer the possibility for more targeted prevention and intervention programs.
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Date Issued: 2012
Identifier: FSU_migr_geriatrics_faculty_publications-0008, 10.1007/s12529-011-9166-5
Format: Citation

Title: Personality and Obesity Across the Adult Life Span.
Creator: Sutin, Angelina, Ferrucci, Luigi, Zonderman, Alan, Terracciano, Antonio
Abstract/Description: Personality traits contribute to health outcomes, in part through their association with major controllable risk factors, such as obesity. Body weight, in turn, reflects our behaviors and lifestyle and contributes to the way we perceive ourselves and others. In this study, the authors use data from a large (N = 1,988) longitudinal study that spanned more than 50 years to examine how personality traits are associated with multiple measures of adiposity and with fluctuations in body mass index ...
Show morePersonality traits contribute to health outcomes, in part through their association with major controllable risk factors, such as obesity. Body weight, in turn, reflects our behaviors and lifestyle and contributes to the way we perceive ourselves and others. In this study, the authors use data from a large (N = 1,988) longitudinal study that spanned more than 50 years to examine how personality traits are associated with multiple measures of adiposity and with fluctuations in body mass index (BMI). Using 14,531 anthropometric assessments, the authors modeled the trajectory of BMI across adulthood and tested whether personality predicted its rate of change. Measured concurrently, participants higher on Neuroticism or Extraversion or lower on Conscientiousness had higher BMI; these associations replicated across body fat, waist, and hip circumference. The strongest association was found for the impulsivity facet: Participants who scored in the top 10% of impulsivity weighed, on average, 11Kg more than those in the bottom 10%. Longitudinally, high Neuroticism and low Conscientiousness, and the facets of these traits related to difficulty with impulse control, were associated with weight fluctuations, measured as the variability in weight over time. Finally, low Agreeableness and impulsivity-related traits predicted a greater increase in BMI across the adult life span. BMI was mostly unrelated to change in personality traits. Personality traits are defined by cognitive, emotional, and behavioral patterns that likely contribute to unhealthy weight and difficulties with weight management. Such associations may elucidate the role of personality traits in disease progression and may help to design more effective interventions.
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Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: FSU_migr_mhs-0016, 10.1037/a0024286
Format: Citation

Title: Personality and Metabolic Syndrome.
Creator: Sutin, Angelina, Costa, Paul, Uda, Manuela, Ferrucci, Luigi, Schlessinger, David, Terracciano, Antonio
Abstract/Description: The prevalence of metabolic syndrome has paralleled the sharp increase in obesity. Given its tremendous physical, emotional, and financial burden, it is of critical importance to identify who is most at risk and the potential points of intervention. Psychological traits, in addition to physiological and social risk factors, may contribute to metabolic syndrome. The objective of the present research is to test whether personality traits are associated with metabolic syndrome in a large...
Show moreThe prevalence of metabolic syndrome has paralleled the sharp increase in obesity. Given its tremendous physical, emotional, and financial burden, it is of critical importance to identify who is most at risk and the potential points of intervention. Psychological traits, in addition to physiological and social risk factors, may contribute to metabolic syndrome. The objective of the present research is to test whether personality traits are associated with metabolic syndrome in a large community sample. Participants (N = 5,662) from Sardinia, Italy, completed a comprehensive personality questionnaire, the NEO-PI-R, and were assessed on all components of metabolic syndrome (waist circumference, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, blood pressure, and fasting glucose). Logistic regressions were used to predict metabolic syndrome from personality traits, controlling for age, sex, education, and current smoking status. Among adults over age 45 (n = 2,419), Neuroticism and low Agreeableness were associated with metabolic syndrome, whereas high Conscientiousness was protective. Individuals who scored in the top 10% on Conscientiousness were approximately 40% less likely to have metabolic syndrome (OR = 0.61, 95% CI = 0.41-0.92), whereas those who scored in the lowest 10% on Agreeableness were 50% more likely to have it (OR = 1.53, 95% CI = 1.09-2.16). At the facet level, traits related to impulsivity and hostility were the most strongly associated with metabolic syndrome. The present research indicates that those with fewer psychological resources are more vulnerable to metabolic syndrome and suggests a psychological component to other established risk factors.
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Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: FSU_migr_mhs-0020, 10.1007/s11357-010-9153-9
Format: Citation

Title: Personality, Metabolic Rate and Aerobic Capacity.
Creator: Terracciano, Antonio, Schrack, Jennifer, Sutin, Angelina, Chan, Wayne, Simonsick, Eleanor M., Ferrucci, Luigi
Abstract/Description: Personality traits and cardiorespiratory fitness in older adults are reliable predictors of health and longevity. We examined the association between personality traits and energy expenditure at rest (basal metabolic rate) and during normal and maximal sustained walking. Personality traits and oxygen (VO(2)) consumption were assessed in 642 participants from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging. Results indicate that personality traits were mostly unrelated to resting metabolic rate and...
Show morePersonality traits and cardiorespiratory fitness in older adults are reliable predictors of health and longevity. We examined the association between personality traits and energy expenditure at rest (basal metabolic rate) and during normal and maximal sustained walking. Personality traits and oxygen (VO(2)) consumption were assessed in 642 participants from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging. Results indicate that personality traits were mostly unrelated to resting metabolic rate and energy expenditure at normal walking pace. However, those who scored lower on neuroticism (r = -0.12) and higher on extraversion (r = 0.11), openness (r = 0.13), and conscientiousness (r = 0.09) had significantly higher energy expenditure at peak walking pace. In addition to greater aerobic capacity, individuals with a more resilient personality profile walked faster and were more efficient in that they required less energy per meter walked. The associations between personality and energy expenditure were not moderated by age or sex, but were in part explained by the proportion of fat mass. In conclusion, differences in personality may matter the most during more challenging activities that require cardiorespiratory fitness. These findings suggest potential pathways that link personality to health outcomes, such as obesity and longevity.
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Date Issued: 2013
Identifier: FSU_migr_mhs-0011, 10.1371/journal.pone.0054746
Format: Citation

Title: Personality Traits Prospectively Predict Verbal Fluency in a Lifespan Sample.
Creator: Sutin, Angelina, Terracciano, Antonio, Kitner-Triolo, Melissa, Uda, Manuela, Schlessinger, David, Zonderman, Alan
Abstract/Description: In a community-dwelling sample (N = 4,790; age range 14-94), we examined whether personality traits prospectively predicted performance on a verbal fluency task. Open, extraverted, and emotionally stable participants had better verbal fluency. At the facet level, dispositionally happy and self-disciplined participants retrieved more words; those prone to anxiety and depression and those who were deliberative retrieved fewer words. Education moderated the association between conscientiousness...
Show moreIn a community-dwelling sample (N = 4,790; age range 14-94), we examined whether personality traits prospectively predicted performance on a verbal fluency task. Open, extraverted, and emotionally stable participants had better verbal fluency. At the facet level, dispositionally happy and self-disciplined participants retrieved more words; those prone to anxiety and depression and those who were deliberative retrieved fewer words. Education moderated the association between conscientiousness and fluency such that participants with lower education performed better on the fluency task if they were also conscientious. Age was not a moderator at the domain level, indicating that the personality-fluency associations were consistent across the life span. A disposition toward emotional vulnerability and being less open, less happy, and undisciplined may be detrimental to cognitive performance.
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Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: FSU_migr_mhs-0015, 10.1037/a0024276
Format: Citation

Title: Personality and Career Success: Concurrent and Longitudinal Relations.
Creator: Sutin, Angelina, Costa, Paul, Miech, Richard, Eaton, William W.
Abstract/Description: The present research addresses the dynamic transaction between extrinsic (occupational prestige, income) and intrinsic (job satisfaction) career success and the Five-Factor Model of personality. Participants (N = 731) completed a comprehensive measure of personality and reported their job title, annual income, and job satisfaction; a subset of these participants (n = 302) provided the same information approximately 10 years later. Measured concurrently, emotionally stable and conscientious...
Show moreThe present research addresses the dynamic transaction between extrinsic (occupational prestige, income) and intrinsic (job satisfaction) career success and the Five-Factor Model of personality. Participants (N = 731) completed a comprehensive measure of personality and reported their job title, annual income, and job satisfaction; a subset of these participants (n = 302) provided the same information approximately 10 years later. Measured concurrently, emotionally stable and conscientious participants reported higher incomes and job satisfaction. Longitudinal analyses revealed that, among younger participants, higher income at baseline predicted decreases in Neuroticism and baseline Extraversion predicted increases in income across the 10 years. Results suggest that the mutual influence of career success and personality is limited to income and occurs early in the career.
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Date Issued: 2009
Identifier: FSU_migr_mhs-0036, 10.1002/per.704
Format: Citation

Title: Perceived Weight Discrimination and Obesity.
Creator: Sutin, Angelina, Terracciano, Antonio
Abstract/Description: Weight discrimination is prevalent in American society. Although associated consistently with psychological and economic outcomes, less is known about whether weight discrimination is associated with longitudinal changes in obesity. The objectives of this research are (1) to test whether weight discrimination is associated with risk of becoming obese (Body Mass Index≥30; BMI) by follow-up among those not obese at baseline, and (2) to test whether weight discrimination is associated with risk...
Show moreWeight discrimination is prevalent in American society. Although associated consistently with psychological and economic outcomes, less is known about whether weight discrimination is associated with longitudinal changes in obesity. The objectives of this research are (1) to test whether weight discrimination is associated with risk of becoming obese (Body Mass Index≥30; BMI) by follow-up among those not obese at baseline, and (2) to test whether weight discrimination is associated with risk of remaining obese at follow-up among those already obese at baseline. Participants were drawn from the Health and Retirement Study, a nationally representative longitudinal survey of community-dwelling US residents. A total of 6,157 participants (58.6% female) completed the discrimination measure and had weight and height available from the 2006 and 2010 assessments. Participants who experienced weight discrimination were approximately 2.5 times more likely to become obese by follow-up (OR = 2.54, 95% CI = 1.58–4.08) and participants who were obese at baseline were three times more likely to remain obese at follow up (OR = 3.20, 95% CI = 2.06–4.97) than those who had not experienced such discrimination. These effects held when controlling for demographic factors (age, sex, ethnicity, education) and when baseline BMI was included as a covariate. These effects were also specific to weight discrimination; other forms of discrimination (e.g., sex, race) were unrelated to risk of obesity at follow-up. The present research demonstrates that, in addition to poorer mental health outcomes, weight discrimination has implications for obesity. Rather than motivating individuals to lose weight, weight discrimination increases risk for obesity.
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Date Issued: 2013
Identifier: FSU_migr_mhs-0009, 10.1371/journal.pone.0070048
Format: Citation

Title: Perceptions of Aging Across 26 Cultures and Their Culture-Level Associates.
Creator: Löckenhoff, Corinna, De Fruyt, Filip, Terracciano, Antonio, McCrae, Robert R., De Bolle, Marleen, Costa, Paul, Aguilar-Vafaie, Maria, Ahn, Chang-kyu, Ahn, Hyun-nie, Alcalay,...
Show moreLöckenhoff, Corinna, De Fruyt, Filip, Terracciano, Antonio, McCrae, Robert R., De Bolle, Marleen, Costa, Paul, Aguilar-Vafaie, Maria, Ahn, Chang-kyu, Ahn, Hyun-nie, Alcalay, Lidia, Allik, Jüri, Avdeyeva, Tatyana, Barbaranelli, Claudio, Benet-Martínez, Verónica, Blatný, Marek, Bratko, Denis, Cain, Thomas, Crawford, Jarret, Lima, Margarida, Ficková, Emília, Gheorghiu, Mirona, Halberstadt, Jamin, Hrebícková, Martina, Jussim, Lee J., Klinkosz, Waldemar, Knezević, Goran, de Figueroa, Nora, Martin, Thomas, Marusić, Iris, Mastor, Khairul, Miramontez, Daniel, Nakazato, Katsuharu, Nansubuga, Florence, Pramila, V., Realo, Anu, Rolland, Jean-Pierre, Rossier, Jerome, Schmidt, Vanina, Sekowski, Andrzej, Shakespeare-Finch, Jane, Shimonaka, Yoshiko, Simonetti, Franco, Siuta, Jerzy, Smith, Peter Bevington, Szmigielska, Barbara, Wang, Lei, Yamaguchi, Mami, Yik, Michelle
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Abstract/Description: College students (N=3,435) in 26 cultures reported their perceptions of age-related changes in physical, cognitive, and socioemotional areas of functioning and rated societal views of aging within their culture. There was widespread cross-cultural consensus regarding the expected direction of aging trajectories with (a) perceived declines in societal views of aging, physical attractiveness, the ability to perform everyday tasks, and new learning; (b) perceived increases in wisdom, knowledge,...
Show moreCollege students (N=3,435) in 26 cultures reported their perceptions of age-related changes in physical, cognitive, and socioemotional areas of functioning and rated societal views of aging within their culture. There was widespread cross-cultural consensus regarding the expected direction of aging trajectories with (a) perceived declines in societal views of aging, physical attractiveness, the ability to perform everyday tasks, and new learning; (b) perceived increases in wisdom, knowledge, and received respect; and (c) perceived stability in family authority and life satisfaction. Cross-cultural variations in aging perceptions were associated with culture-level indicators of population aging, education levels, values, and national character stereotypes. These associations were stronger for societal views on aging and perceptions of socioemotional changes than for perceptions of physical and cognitive changes. A consideration of culture-level variables also suggested that previously reported differences in aging perceptions between Asian and Western countries may be related to differences in population structure.
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Date Issued: 2009
Identifier: FSU_migr_geriatrics_faculty_publications-0021, 10.1037/a0016901
Format: Citation

Department of Behavioral Sciences and Social Medicine (31)	+ -
Department of Geriatrics (31)	+ -
Department of Psychology (17)	+ -
College of Social Work (3)	+ -
Showcase of Undergraduate Research Excellence (3)	+ -

2015 (3)	+ -
Center for Innovative Collaboration in Medicine and Law (2)	+ -

Medical sciences (64)	+ -
Psychiatry (58)	+ -
Human behavior (42)	+ -
Personality (41)	+ -
Social aspects (41)	+ -

Mental health (34)	+ -
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