Developmental Trajectories of Neuroticism During Midlife: Findings From a Latent Growth Class Analysis

• In Event: Exploring Academic Outcome, Personal Traits, and Health Behavior: Analytical Accessibility and Advantages of Large-Scale Databases

Abstract

This paper aims to classify the development trajectories of neuroticism among 5,377 participants who were measured three times during an 18-year course. Participants in the study were a U.S. population representative sample obtained from the national study of Midlife Development in the U.S. (MIDUS). Latent growth class analysis (LGCA) was used to characterize the trajectory patterns of neuroticism. Three latent classes were identified: low (33.4%), medium (49.3%), and high (17.3%). The effects of a variety of time invariant covariates on the latent class membership were also examined. One covariate stood out: those who scored high on additive childhood misfortune (ACM) were more likely to have higher neuroticism scores over time through their adulthood.

Authors

• Fangning Wang

• Jian Li, Kent State University