Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 14, 2026

Assessing the Coherence of Parents' Short Narratives Regarding their Child Using the Five-Minute Speech Sample Procedure
Published on: September 19, 2019
Personality moderates associations between personal time and parental well-being
1Department of Gerontology, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, BC, Canada. theresa_pauly@sfu.ca.
Abstract:
This study aimed to examine whether daily personal time-time spent free from external demands and available for self-directed activities-relates to better affective well-being and healthier cortisol patterns in midlife parents, and whether personality traits moderate these associations. A sample of 318 parents (Mage = 40.06 years, SD = 7.54; 45% men) with underage children (Mage of youngest child = 7.61 years, SD = 5.19) completed up to 8 consecutive days of daily diaries (mood, personal time, stress exposure) and up to 4 days of saliva sampling (4 times/day) for cortisol analysis. Multilevel modeling examined within-person links between personal time, positive and negative affect, and diurnal cortisol slopes, controlling for daily stress. Results showed that on days when they had an opportunity for time to themselves, parents experienced higher positive affect, lower negative affect, and steeper cortisol slopes, indicating better stress recovery. The reduction in negative affect with personal time was stronger for parents high in neuroticism and openness, and high neuroticism was also linked with a stronger association between personal time and cortisol slopes. Findings underscore the potential restorative value of daily time to oneself for midlife parents, particularly those high in neuroticism and openness. In the context of the high demands of parenting, personal time may serve as a valuable resource for emotional renewal, solitude, self-care, self-connection, and recovery from daily parenting stress.
Related Concept Videos
Influence of Parents and Peers on Identity
Parental Influence on Identity Development
Parents serve as primary guides and managers in an adolescent's life, offering support instrumental in decision-making and personal growth....
Parenting Styles
Authoritarian Parenting
This style is strict and controlling, with little room for open dialogue. Authoritarian parents demand obedience and often enforce rules with minimal warmth. Children raised this way may lack social skills and initiative, usually comparing themselves to others unfavorably.
Authoritative...
Relationship with Parents: Attachment
Self-Evaluation: Self-Enhancement and Self-Verification
Socioemotional Development during Infancy
Primary Temperament Types
Social Relationships and Well-Being

