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Association Between Personality Traits and Functional Limitations in Older Adults with Affective Disorders: A Cross
Manon van Steen1, Monique Zoet2, Gert Jan Hendriks3
1GGNet Old age, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Clinical Gerontologist
|July 29, 2023
Summary
In older adults with affective disorders, personality traits like Conscientiousness and Extraversion significantly impact daily functioning. These traits predict limitations independently of disorder severity, offering insights for personalized care.
Area of Science:
- Geriatric Psychiatry
- Clinical Psychology
- Health Psychology
Background:
- Functional limitations are common in older adults with affective disorders.
- The independent contribution of personality traits to functioning in this population remains unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between Big Five personality traits and functional limitations in older adults with affective disorders.
- To determine if personality traits predict functioning beyond the severity of affective disorders.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study of 180 older patients from geriatric mental health centers.
- Assessed Big Five personality traits and functional limitations using the WHO Disability Assessment Schedule II (WHO-DAS II).
- Adjusted for confounders, including affective disorder severity.
Main Results:
- Lower Conscientiousness correlated with greater overall functional limitations, especially in self-care and household activities.
- Lower Extraversion was associated with increased difficulties in social interactions.
- These associations remained significant after controlling for affective disorder severity.
Conclusions:
- Personality traits are independently associated with functional limitations in older adults with affective disorders.
- Personality traits may serve as valuable predictive factors for functional outcomes in this demographic.
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