Nine Years of Personality Development as a Longitudinal Marker for Burnout and Happiness in Emerging Adulthood

• In Event: Poster Session 08
  In Poster Session: PS 08 Topic - Social, Emotional, Personality

Abstract

Emerging adulthood can be experienced as a stressful period because of instability and unsettlement. Variability in personality and changes in personality over time may explain why some emerging adults are more vulnerable to this stress and eventually develop burnout symptoms, whereas others experience more happiness. This study examined whether personality development from adolescence to emerging adulthood was associated with burnout symptoms and happiness in emerging adulthood. At Time 1 (2009; M age = 15.7 years), Time 2 (2012), and Time 3 (2015), 467 participants (43.1% boys) reported on their Big Five personality dimensions. Burnout symptoms (exhaustion and disengagement) and happiness (life satisfaction and overall affect) were measured through self-reports at Time 4 (2018). Preliminary results revealed that initial levels of all personality dimensions and increased emotional stability over time, were negatively related to burnout symptoms and positively to happiness. Increases in imagination were positively related to happiness. Results indicate that (changes in) personality can make individuals more vulnerable for developing burnout symptoms and others may promote happiness.

Authors

• Ildeniz Arslan, Erasmus University Rotterdam
  Presenting Author

• Nicole Lucassen, Erasmus University Rotterdam
  Non-Presenting Author

• Amaranta de Haan, Erasmus University Rotterdam
  Non-Presenting Author

• Joran Jongerling, Erasmus University Rotterdam
  Non-Presenting Author

• Arnold Bakker, Erasmus School of Social and Behavioral Sciences
  Non-Presenting Author

• Peter Prinzie, Erasmus University Rotterdam
  Non-Presenting Author