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Review
. 2013 Jun;45(3):278-88.
doi: 10.1007/s12160-012-9454-6.

The case for conscientiousness: evidence and implications for a personality trait marker of health and longevity

Tim Bogg  1 , Brent W Roberts
Affiliations
Review

The case for conscientiousness: evidence and implications for a personality trait marker of health and longevity

Tim Bogg et al. Ann Behav Med. 2013 Jun.

Abstract

Purpose: Recent initiatives by major funding agencies have emphasized translational and personalized approaches (e.g., genetic testing) to health research and health management. While such directives are appropriate, and will likely produce tangible health benefits, we seek to highlight a confluence of several lines of research showing relations between the personality dimension of conscientiousness and a variety of health-related outcomes.

Methods: Using a modified health process model, we review the compelling evidence linking conscientiousness to health and disease processes, including longevity, diseases, morbidity-related risk factors, health-related psychophysiological mechanisms, health-related behaviors, and social environmental factors related to health.

Conclusion: We argue the accumulated evidence supports greater integration of conscientiousness into public health, epidemiological, and medical research, with the ultimate aim of understanding how facilitating more optimal trait standing might foster better health.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Schematic representation of conscientiousness-health relations, modified from Adler and Matthews's (1994) health process model (+ sign indicates positive association, – sign indicates negative association; SES = socioeconomic status; HR = heart rate; RSA = respiratory sinus arrhythmia; HDL = high-density lipoprotein).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Overview of select conscientiousness-related instruments (CCS = Chernyshenko Conscientiousness Scales; NEO-PI-R = NEO-Personality Inventory-Revised). With the exception of the NEO-PI-R, all the instruments are free and publicly available. Although all of the items of the Chernyshenko Conscientiousness Scales are available in the referenced citation, interested readers should contact the corresponding author for the specific items used in the short version of the scales.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment in

References

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    1. Goldberg LR. A broad-bandwidth, public-domain, personality inventory measuring the lower-level facets of several five-factor models. In: Mervielde I, Deary I, De Fruyt F, Ostendorf F, editors. Personality psychology in Europe. Vol. 7. Tilburg University Press; Tilburg, The Netherlands: 1999. pp. 7–28.

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