A robust literature documents numerous negative implications of neuroticism for romantic relationships. The current study was the first to demonstrate necessary information regarding how couples can protect against these implications. Given the role of negative affect in the association between neuroticism and relationship difficulties, and given the role of sex in reducing negative affect, the current 8-wave longitudinal study of 72 newlywed couples tested the prediction that sexual frequency would moderate the association between neuroticism and marital satisfaction. Lagged multilevel modeling analyses supported this prediction. Specifically, although neuroticism was negatively associated with changes in marital satisfaction among spouses engaging in less frequent sex over the prior 6 months, neuroticism was unrelated to changes in satisfaction among spouses reporting more frequent sex over the prior 6 months. These findings join others in highlighting the importance of considering the broader context of the relationship to developing a complete understanding of relationship development.

Faculty of Humanities. School of Humanities and Communitiy Development. 0214946y tespsuch@yahoo.com / The five-factor model (FFM) of personality has established itself as the predominant model of personality trait structure (Digman, 1990). The NEO-PI-R has been used as one of the most useful FFM measures. Its reliability and validity has been approved through out the world and this study sought to explore the utility of the NEO-PI-R in the Eritrean context as well by translating the NEO-PI-R English version into Tigrigna language. Reliability and validity analyses were considered and an effort was also made to establish Eritrean norms. The descriptive statistics, norms and reliability co-efficients obtained in this study were not exactly similar to the USA sample, and this was not surprising having cultural difference, however, it was quite satisfactory as a pioneer study in Eritrean context. The scree plot showed that five factors could be extracted in this study. These findings lend support to an extent to the cross-cultural applicability of the instrument. In addition evidence of face, and content validity explorations indicated that this instrument was valid across cultures. Further evidence from inter-group comparisons across variables like age, gender, and level of education supports this argument. However, since the sample size and composition were problematic, there was question in the norming. As a whole the study suggested that NEO-PI-R could make a contribution in the Eritrean context as an initial personality assessment instrument.

As use of the public-domain International Personality Item Pool (IPIP) scales has grown significantly over the past decade (Goldberg, Johnson, Eber, Hogan, Ashton, Cloninger, & Gough, 2006) research on the psychometric properties of the items and scales have become increasingly important. This research study examines the IPIP scale constructed to measure the Five Factor Model (FFM) domain of Neuroticism (as measured by the NEO-PI-R) for occurrences of differential functioning at both the item and test level by gender and three age ranges using the DFIT framework (Raju, van der Linden, & Fleer, 1993) This study found six items that displayed differential item functioning by gender and three items that displayed differential item functioning by age. No differential functioning at the test level was found. Items demonstrating DIF and implications for potential scale revision are discussed. / Ph. D.

The purpose of this study was to explore whether overweight college dieters, engaged in self-structured weight loss efforts, experienced physical symptomatology that has previously been associated with severe caloric restriction. The relationships between physical symptomatology, self-efficacy, and future dieting behavior were also investigated. Forty college students (21 female, Mage = 19.58 years, SD= 1.85) self-reported caloric intake and completed self-efficacy measures and physical symptom reports for three weeks. Results indicated that weekly physical symptom reports were not associated with caloric deficit and did not predict future dieting behavior. Physical symptoms were negatively related to self-efficacy for dieting and exercise as predicted, but in several analyses, higher self-efficacy actually predicted less calorie restriction. Physical symptom reports were predicted by trait neuroticism and neuroticism was also significantly and negatively associated with eating and exercise self-efficacy. Results raised issues about the accuracy of caloric restriction reporting and suggested that personality characteristics may have an important impact on an individual's perception of dieting experiences and levels of self-efficacy during dieting. / Master of Science

An abundance of literature has shown the five-factor model personality traits can influence current and lifetime substance use. Life satisfaction, although less clearly, has also demonstrated a significant contribution to substance use behaviors and outcomes. Still, little is known about how life satisfaction influences the relationship between personality and substance use measures pertinent to recovery like drug use refusal self-efficacy. The goal of this study is to advance the current literature on substance use by examining the mechanisms influencing the relationship between personality and life satisfaction and drug use refusal self-efficacy for a sample diagnosed with at least one substance use disorder (SUD) and/or alcohol use disorder (AUD). Data was analyzed using deidentified information from a large diverse SUD client pool (n = 348) who were recruited from the general population and from two Midwest SUD treatment centers for a larger parent study. A series of mediation and moderation analyses were tested. The relationships between both neuroticism and conscientiousness with drug use refusal self-efficacy were significantly mediated by life satisfaction. Life satisfaction significantly moderated the relationship between extraversion and drug use refusal self-efficacy. These findings suggest life satisfaction may be a novel modifiable treatment target to reduce negative effects of personality on SUD drug refusal self-efficacy, and that life satisfaction may influence and change how extraversion relates to risks among those in recovery. / M.S. / Substance misuse costs the United States healthcare system billions each year, but substance use disorder treatment reduces these costs. Unfortunately, only a small percentage of individuals seek treatment in part because it is notoriously difficult, and relapses are common. Factors like personality traits and life satisfaction influence current and lifetime substance use. The goal of this study was to advance the current literature on substance use by examining the mechanisms influencing the relationship between personality and life satisfaction and the ability for an individual to refuse drugs or alcohol (drug use refusal self-efficacy). Data was analyzed using information from a large diverse substance use disorder client pool (n = 348) who were recruited from the general population from two Midwest treatment centers. A series of mediation and moderation analyses were tested. Life satisfaction influenced the relationships between both neuroticism and conscientiousness with drug use refusal self-efficacy. The relationship between extraversion and drug use refusal self-efficacy differed based on the individual’s life satisfaction. These findings suggest modifying life satisfaction may reduce negative effects of personality on drug refusal self-efficacy, and that life satisfaction may influence and change how extraversion relates to risks among those in recovery.

<p>Syftet med studien var att undersöka om grad av överkonfidens kunde variera mellan olika ämnesområden, med kontroll för svårighetsgrad. Ytterligare syfte var att undersöka hur överkonfidens varierar mellan olika bedömningstyper och personer. Mätinstrumenten som användes var dels frågeformulär om melodifestivalvinnare och nobelpristagare med självbedömningsfrågor om prestation, samt frågeformulär om extraversion och neuroticism. Totalt deltog 139 respondenter. Resultatet visade realistisk bedömning inom ämnesområdet melodifestivalvinnare och underkonfidens inom ämnesområdet nobelpristagare, med kontroll för svårighetsgrad. Det förelåg ingen skillnad mellan bedömningstyperna. Män visade överkonfidens medan kvinnor visade realistisk bedömning. Det förelåg negativa samband mellan extraversion samt neuroticism, och differens mellan bedömning och prestation. Förslag på framtida forskning är att vidare undersöka sambandet mellan extraversion och överkonfidens med frågeformulär konstruerade för att generera överkonfidens.</p> / <p>The aim of the study was to investigate if degree of overconfidence could vary between different subject fields with control for degree of difficulty. Further aim was also to investigate how overconfidence varies between different types of judgments and individuals. The instruments that were used were both a questionnaire about winners of the Swedish song contest and winners of the Nobel Prize including self-judgmental questions of performance, and a questionnaire about extraversion and neuroticism. A total of 139 respondents participated. The result showed realistic judgment in the subject field of the Swedish song contest and underconfidence in the subject field of the Nobel Prize, with control for degree of difficulty. There was no difference between the different types of judgments. Males showed overconfidence while females showed realistic judgment. There were negative correlations between extraversion and neuroticism and difference between judgment and performance. Suggestion on future studies is to further investigate the correlation between extraversion and overconfidence with questionnaires designed to generate overconfidence.  </p>

Syftet med studien var att undersöka om grad av överkonfidens kunde variera mellan olika ämnesområden, med kontroll för svårighetsgrad. Ytterligare syfte var att undersöka hur överkonfidens varierar mellan olika bedömningstyper och personer. Mätinstrumenten som användes var dels frågeformulär om melodifestivalvinnare och nobelpristagare med självbedömningsfrågor om prestation, samt frågeformulär om extraversion och neuroticism. Totalt deltog 139 respondenter. Resultatet visade realistisk bedömning inom ämnesområdet melodifestivalvinnare och underkonfidens inom ämnesområdet nobelpristagare, med kontroll för svårighetsgrad. Det förelåg ingen skillnad mellan bedömningstyperna. Män visade överkonfidens medan kvinnor visade realistisk bedömning. Det förelåg negativa samband mellan extraversion samt neuroticism, och differens mellan bedömning och prestation. Förslag på framtida forskning är att vidare undersöka sambandet mellan extraversion och överkonfidens med frågeformulär konstruerade för att generera överkonfidens. / The aim of the study was to investigate if degree of overconfidence could vary between different subject fields with control for degree of difficulty. Further aim was also to investigate how overconfidence varies between different types of judgments and individuals. The instruments that were used were both a questionnaire about winners of the Swedish song contest and winners of the Nobel Prize including self-judgmental questions of performance, and a questionnaire about extraversion and neuroticism. A total of 139 respondents participated. The result showed realistic judgment in the subject field of the Swedish song contest and underconfidence in the subject field of the Nobel Prize, with control for degree of difficulty. There was no difference between the different types of judgments. Males showed overconfidence while females showed realistic judgment. There were negative correlations between extraversion and neuroticism and difference between judgment and performance. Suggestion on future studies is to further investigate the correlation between extraversion and overconfidence with questionnaires designed to generate overconfidence.

Tidigare studier har indikerat att extroverta personer använder mobiltelefoni mer än vad introverta personer gör (Inyang et al. 2010). En enkätstudie genomfördes för att testa sambandet mellan personlighetstyp och huruvida en frekvenspreferens gällande brukandet av mobiltelefoni eller portabelt ljud förelåg. Hundra stycken deltagare svarade på enkäten som bestod av tre delar. Fyra hypoteser var formulerade; extroverta förutspåddes vara flitigare brukare av mobiltelefon än introverta, medan introverta förutspåddes vara flitigare i brukandet av portabelt ljud. Personer med social fobi förutspåddes använda mindre mobiltelefoni, men mer portabelt ljud, än personer utan social fobi. Neurotiker förutspåddes använda portabelt ljud i större utsträckning än de brukar mobiltelefoni. En skillnad förutspåddes finnas mellan män och kvinnor gällande användande av mobiltelefoni och portabelt ljud. Resultaten visade inte på något samband mellan extraversion eller social fobi och användningsfrekvens gällande mobiltelefon, eller portabelt ljud vilket inte stöder hypotesen, däremot så fanns ett samband mellan neuroticism och användningsfrekvens vilket delvis stöder hypotesen och förövrigt indikerar resultaten att kvinnor jämfört med män föredrar mobiltelefon framför portabelt ljud i detta avseende. / Previous studies have indicated that extroverts use mobile cell phones more than introverts (Inyang et al. 2010). A survey was carried out to test the relationship between personality type and frequency preference for mobile cell phones and portable sound use. A hundred individuals participated in the survey containing three parts of questions. It was predicted that extroverts will be more active users of mobile phones than introverts, while introverts were predicted to be more active users of portable sound. People with social phobia were predicted to use less of mobile telephony, but more of portable sound, than people lacking social phobia. Neurotics were predicted to use less of mobile telephony, but more of portable sound, than non-neuritics. A gender effect was also predicted. The result did not show any relation between extraversion or social fobia, and mobile phone or portable sound usage, which doesn’t support the hypothesis, on the other hand a relation between neuroticism and mobile phone usage and portable sound usage was supported and women compared to men were also shown to prefer mobile phone to portable sound.

Fear of failure (FF) har negativ påverkan på individers motivation, val av arbete, prestationsförmåga och allmänt välbefinnande och kan uppstå när människor skall ta olika beslut. Vår studie avsåg att undersöka om fear of failure kan förklaras av personlighet och om det fanns andra påverkansfaktorer, så som socioekonomisk status, ålder och kön. En kvantitativ metod användes och datainsamlingen skedde via en webbaserad enkät innehållande 62 frågor. Deltagarna i studien (N = 153), bestod av 115 kvinnor (75%) och 38 män (25%). IPIP-30 användes för att mäta personlighet och Performance Failure Appraisal Inventory (PFAI) användes för att mäta fear of failure. Resultatet visade i regressionsanalys ett mycket starkt statistiskt signifikant samband (r = .69) mellan fear of failure och personlighetsfaktorn neuroticism, samt att det kunde förklara ≈ 53% av variansen inom fear of failure. Resultatet var förvånansvärt starkt och tydligt och visade på ett övertygande sätt att personlighet förklarade en stor del av innehållet i det begrepp som kallas "fear of failure". Vår slutsats är därför att fear of failure som begrepp, tillsammans med tillhörande mätinstrument (PFAI-skalan), blir överflödigt och kan istället ersättas av personlighetsfaktorerna i femfaktormodellen. / Fear of failure (FF) has a negative impact on individuals' motivation, choice of occupation, ability to work and general well-being and can occur when people make different decisions. Our study was designed to investigate whether fear of failure can be explained by personality and whether there were other factors of influence such as socioeconomic status, age and sex. A quantitative method was used, and data collection was conducted via a web-based survey containing 62 questions. The participants in the study (N = 153) consisted of 115 women (75%) and 38 men (25%). IPIP-30 was used to measure personality and the Performance Failure Appraisal Inventory (PFAI) was used to measure fear of failure. The result showed in regression analysis a very strong statistically significant relationship (r = .69) between fear of failure and the personality factor neuroticism, and that it could explain ≈ 53% of the variance in fear of failure. The result was surprisingly strong and clear and showed convincingly that personality explained a large part of the content of the term called "fear of failure". Our conclusion is therefore that fear of failure as a concept, together with the associated measuring instrument (PFAI scale) becomes superfluous and can instead be replaced by the personality in the five-factor model.

Introduktion: Syftet med föreliggande studie var att undersöka sambandet mellan stress, tre dimensioner av perfektionism, neuroticism och träningsberoende hos aktiva motionärer mellan 18-35 år. Mer specifikt är syftet att undersöka om stress, neuroticism, självorienterad, annaninriktad och socialt föreskriven perfektionism kan predicera träningsberoende. Metod: Deltagare (N=72; M=24.2, SD=4.09) genomförde en online enkätundersökning bestående av Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire (GLTEQ), Exercise Dependence Scale-Revised (EDS-R), Perceived Stress Scale-10 (PSS), the Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale II (MPS-II) och Big Five Inventory (BFI). Resultat: Föreliggande studie identifierade att stress, neuroticism, socialt föreskriven perfektionism och självorienterad perfektionism predicerade träningsberoende. Konklusion: Då stress, neuroticism, socialt föreskriven perfektionism och själorienterad perfektionism predicerar träningsberoende bör dessa betraktas som riskfaktorer i utvecklingen av träningsberoende. I föreliggande studie låg 18% av deltagarna i riskzon för att utveckla ett träningsberoende vilket visar att det är av stor betydelse att uppmärksamma individer som uppvisar symtom av träningsberoende. Eftersom interaktionsmodellen visar att det finns fler psykologiska faktorer som har inflytande på utvecklingen av ett träningsberoende krävs mer forskning inom området. / Introduction: The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between stress, three dimensions of perfectionism, neuroticism and exercise dependence in active exercisers between the age of 18-35. More specific, the aim was to investigate if stress, neuroticism, self-orientated, other-oriented and socially prescribed perfectionism can predict exercise dependence. Method: Participants (N=72; M=24.2, SD=4.09) completed an online questionnaire consisting of the Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire (GLTEQ), Exercise Dependence Scale-Revised (EDS-R), Perceived Stress Scale-10 (PSS), the Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale II (MPS-II), and Big Five Inventory (BFI). Results: The present study found that stress, neuroticism, socially prescribed perfectionism, and self-oriented perfectionism all predicted exercise dependence. Conclusion: Because stress, neuroticism, socially prescribed perfectionism, and self-oriented perfectionism all predicted exercise dependence should these be seen as risk factors in the development of exercise dependence. In the present study 18% of the participants were in risk of developing exercise dependence which shows that it is of great importance to pay attention to individuals that exhibits symptoms of exercise dependence. Because the interactional model of exercise dependence shows that there are more psychological factors which influence the development of exercise dependence more research is needed on the subject.