TY - JOUR
T1 - Personality traits and risk of lifetime asthma diagnosis
AU - Najjab, Aysha
AU - Palka, Jayme M.
AU - Brown, E. Sherwood
PY - 2020/4
Y1 - 2020/4
N2 - Objective: Traits defined by the Five-Factor Model (FFM) of personality have been linked to physical health, leading to treatment implications and psychophysiological conceptualizations. Previous studies have reported a consistent link between neuroticism and asthma. This study aims to reinforce this finding and further its scope by looking at all five personality traits and lifetime asthma diagnosis. Methods: The current study examined associations between personality traits and lifetime asthma diagnosis in a sample of 3993 participants and, for the purposes of replication, a second sample of 1692 participant siblings. Personality was measured at a single time point in adulthood (mean age: 53 years), while asthma diagnosis by a medical professional was self-reported across three time points over a range of 54 years. A binary logistic regression was performed to examine the association between FFM personality traits and the likelihood of having endorsed asthma at any time point. Results: Higher scores in the traits of neuroticism (β = 0.024, p = .03, OR = 1.025) and openness (β = 0.041, p < .001, OR = 1.042) were associated with increased risk of lifetime asthma diagnosis, while the trait of conscientiousness (β = −0.034, p = .009, OR = 0.967) was associated with decreased risk of lifetime asthma diagnosis. The associations with neuroticism and openness were replicated in the sibling sample. Conclusion: These findings suggest that research into certain personality traits might help us better understand psychophysiological connections. Neuroticism, openness, and conscientiousness might be salient factors in developing asthma education and treatment.
AB - Objective: Traits defined by the Five-Factor Model (FFM) of personality have been linked to physical health, leading to treatment implications and psychophysiological conceptualizations. Previous studies have reported a consistent link between neuroticism and asthma. This study aims to reinforce this finding and further its scope by looking at all five personality traits and lifetime asthma diagnosis. Methods: The current study examined associations between personality traits and lifetime asthma diagnosis in a sample of 3993 participants and, for the purposes of replication, a second sample of 1692 participant siblings. Personality was measured at a single time point in adulthood (mean age: 53 years), while asthma diagnosis by a medical professional was self-reported across three time points over a range of 54 years. A binary logistic regression was performed to examine the association between FFM personality traits and the likelihood of having endorsed asthma at any time point. Results: Higher scores in the traits of neuroticism (β = 0.024, p = .03, OR = 1.025) and openness (β = 0.041, p < .001, OR = 1.042) were associated with increased risk of lifetime asthma diagnosis, while the trait of conscientiousness (β = −0.034, p = .009, OR = 0.967) was associated with decreased risk of lifetime asthma diagnosis. The associations with neuroticism and openness were replicated in the sibling sample. Conclusion: These findings suggest that research into certain personality traits might help us better understand psychophysiological connections. Neuroticism, openness, and conscientiousness might be salient factors in developing asthma education and treatment.
KW - Asthma
KW - Big five model
KW - Five factor model
KW - Personality
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U2 - 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2020.109961
DO - 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2020.109961
M3 - Article
C2 - 32105866
AN - SCOPUS:85079666764
SN - 0022-3999
VL - 131
JO - Journal of Psychosomatic Research
JF - Journal of Psychosomatic Research
M1 - 109961
ER -