Sexually Transmitted Infection Co-testing in a Large Urban Emergency Department.

Introduction: The incidence of sexually transmitted infections (STI) increased in the United States between 2017-2021. There is limited data describing STI co-testing practices and the prevalence of STI co-infections in emergency departments (ED). In this study, we aimed to describe the prevalence of co-testing and co-infection of HIV, hepatitis C virus (HCV), syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia, in a large, academic ED. Methods: This was a single-center, retrospective cross-sectional study of ED patients tested for HIV, HCV, syphilis, gonorrhea or chlamydia between November 27, 2018-May 26, 2019. In 2018, the study institution implemented an ED-based infectious diseases screening program in which any patient being tested for gonorrhea/chlamydia was eligible for opt-out syphilis screening, and any patient 18-64 years who was having blood drawn for any clinical purpose was eligible for opt-out HIV and HCV screening. We analyzed data from all ED patients ≥13 years who had undergone STI testing. The outcomes of interest included prevalence of STI testing/co-testing and the prevalence of STI infection/co-infection. We describe data with simple descriptive statistics. Results: During the study period there were 30,767 ED encounters for patients ≥13 years (mean age: 43 ± 14 years, 52% female), and 7,866 (26%) were tested for at least one of HIV, HCV, syphilis, gonorrhea, or chlamydia. We observed the following testing frequencies (and prevalence of infection): HCV, 7,539 (5.0%); HIV, 7,359 (0.9%); gonorrhea, 574 (6.1%); chlamydia, 574 (9.8%); and syphilis, 420 (10.5%). Infectious etiologies with universal testing protocols (HIV and HCV) made up the majority of STI testing. In patients with syphilis, co-infection with chlamydia (21%, 9/44) and HIV (9%, 4/44) was high. In patients with gonorrhea, co-infection with chlamydia (23%, 8/35) and syphilis (9%, 3/35) was high, and in patients with chlamydia, co-infection with syphilis (16%, 9/56) and gonorrhea (14%, 8/56) was high. Patients with HCV had low co-infection proportions (<2%). Conclusion: Prevalence of STI co-testing was low among patients with clinical suspicion for STIs; however, co-infection prevalence was high in several co-infection pairings. Future efforts are needed to improve STI co-testing rates among high-risk individuals.

Missing link: a qualitative analysis of community-based organisations' contributions to partnered collaborative care to treat late-life depression.

OBJECTIVE: Extending collaborative care, a model integrating mental health services into primary care, to include community-based organisations (CBOs) may improve older patient health outcomes by increasing access to care and addressing patients' social needs; however, little is known about how CBOs contribute to such partnered depression care. We explored how six primary care clinic and CBO partnerships came together to provide late-life depression care through the Care Partners funded in 2014. DESIGN: 43 key informant interviews and 15 focus groups were conducted with care managers, administrators and primary care providers partnering to provide late-life depression care. Data were coded and analysed iteratively using qualitative thematic analysis. SETTING: Six primary care clinic-CBO sites across California. PARTICIPANTS: Care managers, administrators and primary care providers participated in this study. RESULTS: Three unique contributions of CBOs to depression care in these clinic-CBO partnerships were identified: (1) CBOs added new services that focus on social needs and enhanced depression care; (2) CBOs strengthened core aspects of collaborative care for depression; (3) CBOs provided new avenues for building connections and trust with underserved patients. CONCLUSIONS: CBOs, when partnered with clinics, enhanced both medical and social aspects of depression treatment for older adults. CBOs are well positioned to assist primary care clinics in treating the complex health needs of older adults by providing new and strengthening existing aspects of partnered depression care while building patient trust among culturally diverse populations.

I think you might like me: Emergence and change of meta-liking in initial social interactions.

Feeling accepted by others is a fundamental human motive and an important marker of successful social interactions. This interpersonal perception, known as meta-liking, is especially relevant during adolescence, when peer relationships deepen and expand. However, knowledge is limited regarding meta-liking formation in initial social interactions. This study investigated whether adolescents (N = 293, Mage = 15.48, 61.10% female) have default expectations for meta-liking at zero acquaintance and how these judgments are updated during initial group interactions. Specifically, we used latent change models to examine how personality traits predicted initial meta-liking and whether personality and social interaction experiences were linked to changes in meta-liking judgments throughout an interaction. Our findings revealed three key insights: First, meta-liking increased gradually over the course of the interaction, with substantial individual differences in both default meta-liking and change scores. Second, extraversion, neuroticism, and self-esteem predicted initial meta-liking. Third, liking others was also linked to initial meta-liking and early changes, while meta-liking changes toward the end of the interaction occurred independent of all these features and were not predicted by expressive behaviors of interaction partners. This study represents a first empirical test of default expectations and updates in meta-liking based on personality characteristics and social interaction experiences in initial social interactions. We discuss our results in terms of a broader framework for understanding how metaperceptions are formed and updated early in the acquaintance process. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

The Role of Agreeableness, Neuroticism, and Relationship-Specific Features in Self- and Other-Perceptions of Conflict Frequency in Adolescent Relationships with Parents and Peers.

Conflict frequency in adolescence has been linked to personality and relationship-specific features. However, an integrative investigation of both aspects is lacking. To address this gap, this study used data from 571 individuals in middle adolescence (Study 1; Mage = 15.86, SD = 1.23; 75.8% female) and 233 individuals in late adolescence (Study 2; Mage = 17.17, SD = 1.01; 75.5% female) in Germany, including participants' self-reports on conflict frequency and other-reports provided by parents and peers. Across studies, multigroup models revealed that adolescents' level of neuroticism predicted self- and other-perceived conflict frequency in parent and peer relationships more consistently than agreeableness, while providing no evidence for an interplay between both personality traits. Furthermore, relationship-specific features differentially accounted for individual differences in conflict frequency across relationship types, such that in adolescents' relationships with parents, lower relationship quality related to more frequent conflicts. In peer relationships, higher contact frequency was linked to more frequent conflicts. The present findings highlight the contributions of both personality and relationship-specific features to conflict frequency in adolescence and offer practical guidance for the improvement of adolescents' and their relationship partners' social skills and experiences. All research questions, hypotheses, and analyses of this research were preregistered at the OSF and can be retrieved from: https://osf.io/xmvqd/ .

Popularity at first sight: Dominant behaviours mediate the link between extraversion and popularity in face-to-face and virtual group interactions.

Although there is robust evidence that being more extraverted is related to higher popularity, only few studies have examined which actual behaviours (e.g., verbal content, body language) might explain this association. The current study examined whether observer-rated dominant behaviours (nonverbal, paraverbal, verbal, and general cues) mediate the relationship between self-rated extraversion and its facets (assertiveness, sociability, and activity) and other-rated popularity in zero-acquaintance settings. In two studies, we analysed data from face-to-face (Study 1, N = 124) and virtual (Study 2, N = 291) group interactions where participants were videotaped while performing a task and subsequently rated each other on popularity. Across studies, extraversion and the facets assertiveness and sociability were consistently associated with higher popularity, while the role of dominant behaviours differed. In Study 1, only two nonverbal behaviours, dominant gestures and upright posture, mediated the association between extraversion and popularity. In Study 2, all four types of behavioural cues mediated the association between extraversion (facets) and popularity. We discuss how these findings provide insights into the mechanisms of attaining popularity at zero acquaintance in diverse social settings.

Boosting yourself? Associations between momentary self-esteem, daily social interactions, and self-esteem development in late adolescence and late adulthood.

Research over the past 2 decades has repeatedly shown that the evaluation of one's own worth-trait self-esteem-is closely linked to the quality of social relationships and perceptions of social inclusion. However, there is limited evidence on the dynamics between momentary self-esteem and perceptions of social inclusion in everyday life, as well as on their possible long-term (bottom-up) effects on the development of trait self-esteem. We addressed this research gap using longitudinal data from a German multimethodological study (N = 324) in which N = 235 late adolescents (Mage = 17.7; 76% female) and N = 89 older adults (Mage = 63.8; 64% female) were followed over 1 year. Based on three trait questionnaires with 6-month intervals and a 7-day experience-sampling burst at the first measurement point, we investigated momentary dynamics in self-esteem and longitudinal change by using multilevel and latent growth modeling. Results confirmed the positive association between momentary self-esteem and perceptions of social inclusion in everyday life, that is, self-esteem reactivity in both age groups. In addition, both self- and other-reports showed a consistent increase in trait self-esteem over 1 year. However, because the slope parameters did not indicate substantial interindividual variance, we were unable to test for bottom-up effects of self-esteem reactivity. We discuss the importance of daily social experiences for momentary self-esteem in late adolescence and late adulthood but also point to the need for further multimethodological research. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Measuring the Effect of Off-Balancing Vectors on the Delivery of High-Quality CPR during Ambulance Transport: A Proof of Concept Study.

AIM: This study aims to demonstrate the feasibility of quantifying the off-balancing vectors experienced during ambulance transport and comparing them to high-quality cardiopulmonary resuscitation (HQ-CPR) metrics. METHODS: Ten participants completed a total of 20 evolutions of compression-only HQ-CPR in an ambulance driven in a manner that minimized or increased linear and angular off-balancing vectors. Linear and angular velocity, linear and angular acceleration, and linear jerk were recorded. HQ-CPR variables measured were compression fraction and proportion of compressions with depth >5 cm (depth%), rate 100-120 (rate%), full chest recoil (recoil%), and hand position (hand%). A composite score was calculated: [(depth% + rate% + recoil% + hand%)/4) * compression fraction]. Difficulty of HQ-CPR performance was measured with the Borg rating of perceived exertion (RPE) Scale. A series of mixed effects models were fitted regressing each HQ-CPR metric on each off-balancing vector. RESULTS: HQ-CPR data and vector quantity data were successfully recorded in all evolutions. Rate% was negatively associated with increasing linear velocity (slope = -3.82, standard error [SE] 1.12, p = 0.005), linear acceleration (slope = -5.52, SE 1.93, p = 0.013), linear jerk (slope = -17.60, SE 5.78, p = 0.007), angular velocity (slope = -75.74, SE 22.72, p = 0.004), and angular acceleration (slope = -152.53, SE 59.60, p = 0.022). Compression fraction was negatively associated with increasing linear velocity (slope = -1.35, SE 0.37, p = 0.004), linear acceleration (slope = -1.67, SE 0.48, p = 0.003), linear jerk (slope = -4.90, SE 1.86, p = 0.018), angular velocity (slope = -25.66, SE 6.49, p = 0.001), and angular acceleration (slope = -45.35, SE 18.91, p = 0.031). Recoil% was negatively associated with increasing linear velocity (slope = -5.80, SE 2.21, p = 0.023) and angular velocity (slope = -116.96, SE 44.24, p = 0.019)). Composite score was negatively associated with increasing linear velocity (slope = -4.49, SE 1.45, p = 0.009) and angular velocity (slope = -86.13, SE 31.24, p = 0.014) and approached a negative association with increasing magnitudes of linear acceleration (slope -5.54, SE 2.93, p = 0.075), linear jerk (slope = -17.43, SE 8.80, p = 0.064), and angular acceleration (slope = -170.43, SE 80.73, p = 0.051). Borg RPE scale was positively associated with all off-balancing vectors. Depth%, hand%, mean compression depth, and mean compression rate were not correlated with any off-balancing vector. CONCLUSION: Off-balancing vector data can be successfully quantified during ambulance transport and compared with HQ-CPR performance parameters. Increasing off-balancing vectors experienced during ambulance transport are associated with worse HQ-CPR metrics and increased perceived physical exertion. These data may help guide future drive styles, ambulance design, or use of mechanical CPR devices to improve HQ-CPR delivery during selected patient transport scenarios.

Experiences of low-income college students in selection of health insurance, access, and quality of care.

OBJECTIVE: To understand the experiences and perspectives of low-income University of California undergraduates related to their health insurance options, access to and quality of care. PARTICIPANTS: 14 undergraduate students across five UC campuses who identified as socioeconomically disadvantaged or low-income. METHODS: We conducted 4 focus groups organized by type of insurance coverage in April 2022. RESULTS: (1) the insurance selection process for low-income students is complicated by multiple, sometimes competing factors; (2) the lack of clear information confuses students' selection of insurance and health care options; and (3) students experiences challenges in access and quality of care, irrespective of insurance type. CONCLUSIONS: Ensuring access to high quality care, information and coverage is critical to the university mission to support a diverse, equitable and inclusive environment, for a student body that reflects the needs of the population of California.

Routes to momentary self-esteem in adolescence: Links with interpersonal perceptions of liking and personality metaperceptions within social interactions.

OBJECTIVE: This study provides insights into the perceptual processes contributing to positive social experiences and momentary self-esteem in adolescents' initial social interactions. BACKGROUND: A person's self-esteem is shaped by their social experiences. However, little is known about which interpersonal perceptions are linked to momentary self-esteem within social interactions. Identifying two key interpersonal perceptions, we examined differential associations between an individual's meta-liking and other-perceptions of liking by interaction partners with momentary self-esteem. Further, we investigated how preceding personality metaperceptions (i.e., meta-accuracy and meta-positivity) extended these sociometer processes. METHOD: The current study used round-robin data from N = 296 adolescents participating in a virtual group interaction. Social accuracy modeling was used to estimate meta-accuracy and meta-positivity of personality metaperceptions, and path models were used to test associations with interpersonal perceptions of liking and momentary self-esteem. RESULTS: Two main findings emerged: First, meta-liking was consistently related to higher momentary self-esteem, whereas other-perceptions of liking were not. Second, meta-positivity of personality metaperceptions was linked to higher meta-liking and indirectly contributed to higher momentary self-esteem through meta-liking. CONCLUSION: These findings highlight the importance of considering different interpersonal perceptions to understand social interaction experiences.

Assessment of a COVID-19 vaccination protocol for unhoused patients in the emergency department.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to evaluate the feasibility of implementing an emergency department (ED)-based Coronavirus Disease of 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination protocol in a population of unhoused patients. METHODS: On June 10, 2021, a best practice alert (BPA) was implemented that fired when an ED provider opened the charts of unhoused patients and prompted the provider to order COVID-19 vaccination for eligible patients. We downloaded electronic medical record data of patients who received a COVID-19 vaccine in the ED between June 10, 2021 and August 26, 2021. The outcomes of interest were the number of unhoused, and the total number of patients vaccinated for COVID-19 during the study period. Data were described with simple descriptive statistics. RESULTS: There were 25,871 patient encounters in 19,992 unique patients (mean 1.3 visits/patient) in the emergency department during the study period. There were 1,474 (6% of total ED population) visits in 1,085 unique patients who were unhoused (mean 1.4 visits/patient). The BPA fired in 1,046 unhoused patient encounters (71% of PEH encounters) and was accepted in 79 (8%). Forty-three unhoused patients were vaccinated as a result of the BPA (4% of BPA fires) and 18 unhoused patients were vaccinated without BPA prompting. An additional 76 domiciled patients were vaccinated in the ED. CONCLUSIONS: Implementing an ED-based COVID-19 vaccination program is feasible, however, only a small number of patients underwent COVID-19 vaccination. Further studies are needed to explore the utility of using the ED as a setting for COVID-19 vaccination.

Rural residence across the life course and late-life cognitive decline in KHANDLE: A causal inference study.

Background: Modifiable risks for dementia are more prevalent in rural populations, yet there is a dearth of research examining life course rural residence on late-life cognitive decline. Methods: The association of rural residence and socioeconomic status (SES) in childhood and adulthood with late-life cognitive domains (verbal episodic memory, executive function, and semantic memory) and cognitive decline in the Kaiser Healthy Aging and Diverse Life Experiences cohort was estimated using marginal structural models with stabilized inverse probability weights. Results: After adjusting for time-varying SES, the estimated marginal effect of rural residence in childhood was harmful for both executive function (ß = -0.19, 95% confidence interval [CI] = -0.32, -0.06) and verbal episodic memory (ß = -0.22, 95% CI = -0.35, -0.08). Effects of adult rural residence were imprecisely estimated with beneficial point estimates for both executive function (ß = 0.19; 95% CI = -0.07, 0.44) and verbal episodic memory (ß = 0.24, 95% CI = -0.07, 0.55). Conclusions: Childhood rurality is associated with poorer late-life cognition independent of SES.

Well-being in social interactions: Examining personality-situation dynamics in face-to-face and computer-mediated communication.

Decades of research show that people's social lives are linked to their well-being. Yet, research on the relationship between social interactions and well-being has been largely inconclusive with regard to the effects of person-situation interactions, such as the interplay between contextual factors (e.g., interactions occurring in physical vs. digital contexts, different interaction partners) and dispositional tendencies (e.g., Big Five personality traits). Here, we report on exploratory and confirmatory findings from three large studies of college students (Study 1: N = 1,360; Study 2: N = 851; Study 3: N = 864) who completed a total of 139,363 experience sampling surveys (reporting on 87,976 social interactions). We focus on the effects of different modes of communication (face-to-face [FtF] interactions, computer-mediated communication [CMC], and mixed episodes [FtF + CMC]), and types of interaction partners (close peers, family members, and weak ties). Using multilevel structural equation modeling, we found that FtF interactions and mixed episodes were associated with highest well-being on the within-person level, and that these effects were particularly pronounced for individuals with high levels of neuroticism. CMC was related to lower well-being than FtF interactions, but higher well-being than not socializing at all. Regarding the type of interaction partner, individuals reported higher well-being after interactions with close peers than after interactions with family members and weak ties, and the difference between close peers and weak ties was larger for FtF interactions than for CMC. We discuss these findings with regard to theories of person-situation interactions and research on well-being and social interactions. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Beyond Big Five trait domains: Stability and change in personality facets across midlife and old age.

OBJECTIVE: Accumulated evidence indicates both stable and malleable parts of inter-individual differences in the broad Big Five domains. Less is known, however, about stability and change at the more diversified facet level. With the current study, we fill this gap by investigating personality stability and change across midlife and old age. METHOD: We apply local structural equation measurement models and second-order growth curve models to four waves of data obtained with the full NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI-R) collected over 11 years from 1667 adults (Mage  = 62.69 years, SDage  = 15.62, 55% female) who participated in the Seattle Longitudinal Study. RESULTS: Measurement invariance analyses indicated that the psychometric properties of the NEO-PI-R facets are comparable across time and age. Results revealed substantial rank-order stabilities across all facets, yet the exact pattern varied strongly between facets of the same trait and across traits. Mean-level change of facets from midlife to old age largely mirrored the mean-level change observed for the broader traits. CONCLUSION: We discuss conceptual implications and argue that in the face of overall stability across midlife and old age, changes in the rank-ordering of people reveals a much more complex and diverse pattern of development than analyses at the trait level suggest.

Gloomy and out of control? Consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on momentary optimism in daily live of adolescents.

In the global COVID-19 pandemic, adolescents are regarded as especially burdened due to school closures and leisure activities being banned, often reducing peer contacts to zero. Experiencing restrictions while being uninvolved in decision-making processes left them with little control over their daily lives. Meanwhile, research highlights that optimism can act as a buffer against the impact of daily hassles and is considered an important resource for mental health. To understand the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic for adolescents' lives, this study examined how momentary perceived control and perceived personal and societal consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic relate to momentary optimism. Using experience-sampling data from N = 242 (M age = 15.89; 86% female) adolescents assessed during the second pandemic wave in Germany, multilevel modeling revealed positive associations between adolescents' momentary perceived control and their momentary optimism at both the within- and between-person level. Additionally, perceived consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic showed specific associations with momentary optimism: Whereas perceived societal consequences were directly related to lower momentary optimism, perceived personal consequences strengthened the relationship between momentary perceived control and optimism. These findings highlight the role of perceived control as an important resource for optimism both as a general tendency and within specific situations in daily life. This way, our results may shed light on how to support adolescent optimism during states of emergency, such as a worldwide pandemic. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12144-022-03313-6.

Socioeconomic and geographic disparities in pediatric scoliosis surgery.

PURPOSE: To compare the population of pediatric patients undergoing surgery for scoliosis in California by gender, race, and ethnicity and identify any underlying differences in social determinants of health as measured by the child opportunity index (COI), social deprivation index (SDI), and insurance category among them. METHODS: This project extracted demographic reports including patient sex, race, zip code, insurance type, and associated diagnosis and procedure codes from the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD). These data were combined with COI and SDI data, which further describe the socioeconomic environment of each patient. Census data were referenced to compare the population of patients receiving scoliosis procedures to the general population by race and ethnicity. Chi-square tests were performed for categorical data. Independent t-test and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were performed for continuous data, with significance set at 0.05. RESULTS: Unfavorable SDI and COI scores were observed among males, Hispanics, and Black patients, and these patients were more likely to be covered by Medi-Cal. Length of stay was significantly higher among males and Medi-Cal recipients. CONCLUSION: The data demonstrate significant differences in social determinants of health as measured by race, ethnicity, gender, insurance type, COI, and SDI among patients ≤ 20 years undergoing surgery for idiopathic scoliosis in California. The noted differences in socioeconomic status (SES) and insurance are known and/or expected to have an impact on access to quality health care, exposing a need for future studies to determine whether COI and SDI influence patient-reported outcomes after scoliosis surgery. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV.

Moving beyond referrals to strengthen late-life depression care: a qualitative examination of primary care clinic and community-based organization partnerships.

BACKGROUND: National guidelines have called for greater integration of primary care and behavioral health services, with more recent attention to social care and community-based services. Under growing resource constraints healthcare organizations have tended to rely on referrals to external entities to address social care needs. Traditional referral models, however, may not be equipped to provide for the complex needs of older adults with depression. The Care Partners Project was designed to strengthen late-life depression care through integrated partnerships between primary care clinics and community-based organizations. We sought to understand how these integrated partnerships, with shared tasks and accountability across organizations, changed the nature of depression care for older adults. METHODS: We conducted 65 in-depth, semi-structured interviews and six focus groups with service providers involved in the project, including care managers, primary care providers, and psychiatric consultants, and applied inductive and deductive qualitative thematic analysis to develop themes around participants' experiences with the partnered initiative. RESULTS: We found the partnerships established by the Care Partners Project reshaped late-life depression care in two ways: (1) bidirectional communication across organizations facilitated greater recognition among providers of intersecting medical and social needs associated with late-life depression; and (2) depression care became more coordinated and effective as care teams established or strengthened relationships across organizations. CONCLUSIONS: These findings highlight the ways cross-organizational health and social care partnerships that move beyond traditional referrals can strengthen late-life depression care and enhance organizational capacities.

The incremental validity of average states: A replication and extension of Finnigan and Vazire (2018).

States refer to our momentary thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Average states (aggregates across multiple time points) are discussed as a more accurate and objective measure of personality compared to global self-reports since they do not only rely on people's general beliefs about themselves. Specifically, Finnigan and Vazire (2018) argued that, if average states better capture what a person is actually like, this should be reflected in their unique association with informant-reports of personality, and tested this idea based on two experience-sampling studies. Their results showed, however, that average self-reported states did not predict global informant-reported personality above and beyond global self-reports. In this research, we aimed at replicating and extending these results. We used data of five studies (total N = 806) that involved global self- and informant-reports and employed a variety of different experience-sampling methods (time-based with different sampling schedules, event-based). Across all studies, the original results (i.e., no incremental effects of average self-reported states) were replicated. Furthermore, as an extension to the original study, we found that average other-reported states (provided by peers, results based on one study) did indeed predict global informant-reports above and beyond global self-reports. These findings highlight the importance of differentiating between method effects (global reports vs. average states) from source of information effects (self vs. other). We discuss these results, focusing on the suitability of using informant-reports as a criterion variable and conceptual differences between assessment methods. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Acting Like a Baby Boomer? Birth-Cohort Differences in Adults' Personality Trajectories During the Last Half a Century.

Society and developmental theory generally assume that there are wide generational differences in personality. Yet evidence showing historical change in the levels of adult Big Five traits is scarce and particularly so for developmental change. We tracked adult trajectories of personality in 4,732 participants (age: M = 52.93 years, SD = 16.69; 53% female) from the Seattle Longitudinal Study (born 1883-1976) across 50 years. Multilevel models revealed evidence for historical change in personality: At age 56, later-born cohorts exhibited lower levels of maturity-related traits (agreeableness and neuroticism) and higher levels of agency-related traits (extraversion and openness) than earlier-born cohorts. Historical changes in agreeableness and neuroticism were more pronounced among young adults, but changes in openness were less pronounced. Cohort differences in change were rare and were observed only for agreeableness; within-person increases were more pronounced among later-born cohorts. Our results yield the first evidence for historical change in the Big Five across adulthood and point to the roles of delayed social-investment and maturity effects.

Understanding Loneliness in Adolescence: A Test of Competing Hypotheses on the Interplay of Extraversion and Neuroticism.

Given that adolescents often experience fundamental changes in social relationships, they are considered to be especially prone to loneliness. Meanwhile, theory and research highlight that both extraversion and neuroticism are closely intertwined with individual differences in loneliness. Extant research has explored the linear main effects of these personality traits, yet potential non-linear associations (e.g., exponential effects) and the potential interplay of extraversion and neuroticism (e.g., mutual reinforcement effects) remain unknown. We addressed these open questions using cross-sectional and one-year longitudinal data from two adolescent samples (overall N = 583, Mage = 17.57, 60.55% girls) and an information-theoretic approach combined with polynomial regression. Analyses showed little evidence for interaction effects but revealed non-linear effects in addition to the main effects of extraversion and neuroticism on loneliness. For example, the positive cross-sectional association between neuroticism and loneliness was stronger at higher neuroticism levels (i.e., exponential effect). Results differed across loneliness facets in that both traits predicted emotional loneliness, but only extraversion predicted social loneliness. Longitudinal analyses showed that loneliness changes were mainly related to neuroticism. We discuss results in the light of sample differences, elaborate on the importance to differentiate between emotional versus social aspects of loneliness, and outline implications for adolescent development.

Moody and thin-skinned? The interplay of neuroticism and momentary affect in older romantic couples.

Neuroticism is associated with heightened reactivity to social stressors. However, little is known about the micro-processes through which neuroticism shapes - and is shaped by - affective experiences in close relationships. We examine the extent to which momentary affect is coupled with one's relationship partner, whether the strength of this coupling differs depending on levels of neuroticism, and whether this coupling and partner's overall level of positive or negative affect prospectively contribute to differential (rank-order) changes in neuroticism. Older couples (N = 82, aged 67-93 years) rated their momentary affect six times per day for one week and provided ratings of trait neuroticism at baseline and 18 months later. Multilevel models revealed that among individuals high in neuroticism, individual positive affect was more closely coupled with partner positive affect compared with individuals low in neuroticism. Moreover, neuroticism decreased over time in those participants who showed a higher degree of coupling with partner positive affect and also had a partner with higher overall positive affect. In contrast, neuroticism increased in individuals whose partner had lower overall positive affect. Similar effects were not observed for negative affect. Our findings highlight how relationship partners contribute to daily affective experiences and longer-term changes in neuroticism.