Spousal neuroticism moderates everyday problem-wellbeing associations in older couples.

Lay, Jennifer C.; Hoppmann, Christiane A.

doi:10.1037/hea0000042

“…From this perspective, dispositional negativity represents a diathesis that promotes heightened levels of negative affect, pessimism, and avoidance motivation in the face of trait-relevant challenges (Eysenck, 1967;Gray & McNaughton, 2000;Kagan, Reznick, & Snidman, 1988;Spielberger, 1966;Zuckerman, 1976). The present results and other data (e.g., Aldinger et al, 2014;Shackman/Lemay, Dispositional negativity in the wild 24 Ching et al, 2014;David et al, 1997;Emmons & Diener, 1986;Howell, Ksendzova, Netingen, Yerahian, & Iyer, in press;Howell & Rodzon, 2011;Jacobs et al, 2011;Komulainen et al, 2014;Kuppens et al, 2007;Lay & Hoppmann, 2014;Leger et al, 2016;Snippe et al, in press;Soto & John, in press;Tennen et al, 2006;Watson, 1988;Watson & Clark, 1984;R. E. Wilson et al, in press;Zautra et al, 2005) underscore the need to broaden this perspective to encompass positive affect and positive experiences.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 73%

Dispositional negativity in the wild: Social environment governs momentary emotional experience

Shackman¹

2017

Preprint

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Dispositional negativity-the tendency to experience more frequent or intense negative emotions-is a fundamental dimension of temperament and personality. Elevated levels of dispositional negativity have profound consequences for public health and wealth, drawing the attention of researchers, clinicians, and policy makers. Yet, relatively little is known about the factors that govern the momentary expression of dispositional negativity in the real world. Here, we used smart phone-based experience-sampling to demonstrate that the social environment plays a central role in shaping the moment-by-moment emotional experience of 127 young adults selectively recruited to represent a broad spectrum of dispositional negativity. Results indicate that individuals with a more negative disposition derive much larger emotional benefits from the company of close companions-friends, romantic partners, and family members-and that these benefits reflect heightened feelings of social connection and acceptance. These results set the stage for developing improved interventions and provide new insights into the interaction of emotional traits and situations in the real world, close to clinically and practically important endpoints.

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“…Most studies show a negative association between neuroticism and mental health [ 8 , 57 ], so one would also expect a moderating effect neuroticism on pain-to-mental health associations. In fact, there is previous evidence to suggest that the relationship between a stressor (i.e., everyday problems) and both affective and physical problems are moderated by spouse neuroticism [ 19 ]. While the present study replicated this moderating effect of spouse neuroticism on physical health status, this was not the case for mental well-being.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…There is, indeed, some support for this contextual (i.e., moderating) role of spouse personality in the context of couples. For instance, a study showed that spouse neuroticism influenced the associations between everyday problems and affect and physical symptoms in older couples [ 19 ]. In another investigation, the relationship between patient personality and patient psychological health differed as a function of spouse personality [ 20 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pain Intensity Is Not Always Associated with Poorer Health Status: Exploring the Moderating Role of Spouse Personality

Suso‐Ribera

¹

,

Sullivan

²

,

Suso-Vergara

³

2018

Pain Research and Management

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Background Past decades have seen a surge of studies investigating the role of spouses in chronic illness. The present study explored an interpersonal model of health-related quality of life in chronic pain settings. Spouse personality was tested as a moderator of pain intensity-to-health associations in patients with chronic pain. Methods This is a cross-sectional study. Participants were 185 noncancer chronic pain patients and their spouses. Patients were mostly females (58.4%). Mean age was approximately 56 years for patients and spouses. Patients completed a measure of pain intensity, health-related quality of life, and personality. Spouses also reported on their personality characteristics. Spouse personality was used as the moderator in the relationship between patients' pain intensity and health status. Patient personality was used as a covariate in the moderation analyses. Results Spouse neuroticism moderated the relationship between pain intensity and physical health status, while spouse introversion moderated the pain-to-mental health association. Conclusions Results support the idea that the relationship between a chronic stressor, namely, chronic pain, and health-related quality of life may be complex and contextually determined by spousal characteristics. Clinical implications are discussed in the context of couples.

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“… 1 (See also Brewer et al, 2007; Carstensen, Pasupathi, Mayr, & Nesselroade, 2000; Ching et al, 2014; Eddington, Majestic, & Silvia, 2012; Emmons & Diener, 1986; Heiy & Cheavens, 2014; Hepburn & Eysenck, 1989; Kardum, 1999; Komulainen et al, 2014; Kuppens, Oravecz, & Tuerlinckx, 2010; Kuppens, Van Mechelen, Nezlek, Dossche, & Timmermans, 2007; Lay & Hoppmann, 2014; McConville & Cooper, 1999; Ode, Hilmert, Zielke, & Robinson, 2010; Ong, Zautra, & Reid, 2010; Park, Armeli, & Tennen, 2004; Rusting & Larsen, 1998; Schimmack, 2003; Sherry & Hall, 2009; Skalina, Gunthert, Ahrens, & Wenze, 2015; Tennen, Affleck, & Zautra, 2006; Tong et al, 2006; Verduyn & Brans, 2012; Watson, 1988; Williams, 1981, 1990; R. E. Wilson, Thompson, & Vazire, in press ).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Dispositional negativity in the wild: Social environment governs momentary emotional experience.

Shackman¹,

Weinstein²,

Hudja³

et al. 2018

Emotion

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Dispositional negativity-the tendency to experience more frequent or intense negative emotions-is a fundamental dimension of temperament and personality. Elevated levels of dispositional negativity have profound consequences for public health and wealth, drawing the attention of researchers, clinicians, and policy makers. Yet, relatively little is known about the factors that govern the momentary expression of dispositional negativity in the real world. Here, we used smart phone-based experience-sampling to demonstrate that the social environment plays a central role in shaping the moment-by-moment emotional experience of 127 young adults selectively recruited to represent a broad spectrum of dispositional negativity. Results indicate that individuals with a more negative disposition derive much larger emotional benefits from the company of close companions-friends, romantic partners, and family members-and that these benefits reflect heightened feelings of social connection and acceptance. These results set the stage for developing improved interventions and provide new insights into the interaction of emotional traits and situations in the real world, close to clinically and practically important endpoints.

show abstract

Spousal neuroticism moderates everyday problem-wellbeing associations in older couples.

Abstract: Findings are discussed in the context of evolutionary psychology and suggest that spousal neuroticism may serve adaptive functions by increasing vigilance and preparing older spouses to deal with everyday problems.

Cited by 10 publications

References 54 publications

Dispositional negativity in the wild: Social environment governs momentary emotional experience

Dispositional negativity in the wild: Social environment governs momentary emotional experience

Pain Intensity Is Not Always Associated with Poorer Health Status: Exploring the Moderating Role of Spouse Personality

Dispositional negativity in the wild: Social environment governs momentary emotional experience.

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