The moderating role of conscientiousness in the temporal association of stress on sleep.

Personality traits have been associated with sleep problems and stress experience. However, their impact on objective sleep and the temporal relationship of stress on sleep has remained elusive. This study examined whether daytime stress predicts sleep the following night, and the moderating role of neuroticism and conscientiousness in this relationship. To introduce stress variability in natural daily stressors, we measured college students (N = 92) during exams (e.g. high academic stress) and at the start of new course period (e.g. low academic stress). Both objective (actigraphy) and subjective sleep, and daily self-reported stress, were measured for 14 days and personality traits once. Reported daily stress was significantly higher in the exam period compared with baseline, suggesting that our natural manipulation did indeed result in variation in stress levels. Intra-individual daily variations in stress were not associated with the following night's sleep timing, duration or fragmentation, implying that more stress during the day did not affect sleep the following night. Higher levels of neuroticism were associated with poorer daily subjective sleep quality and higher stress levels over the complete period. Neuroticism did not moderate the temporal association of stress on sleep. Conscientiousness moderated the association between intra-individual stress and sleep fragmentation, and intra-individual stress and wake-up time. This implied that highly conscientious participants experienced less sleep fragmentation and woke-up earlier after more stressful days. These results suggest an interconnected relationship among stress, sleep and personality. Focusing on one aspect, like handling stress or enhancing sleep quality, might yield positive effects on the rest.

Diligent for better or worse: Conscientiousness is associated with higher likelihood of suicidal behavior and more severe suicidal intent in later life.

BACKGROUND: Contradictory findings link trait conscientiousness in mid- and late life to increased healthspan and lifespan, as well as to death by suicide. It remains unclear whether conscientiousness is associated with higher odds of attempting suicide or with more severe suicidal behavior among attempters, and whether its relationship to suicide risk varies with aging-related stressors, such as declining health. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study comprising 313 depressed adults aged ≥40 years and participating in the Longitudinal Research Program in Late-Life Suicide (Pittsburgh, USA), we employed logistic and linear regression to test whether conscientiousness was associated with the presence of recent suicidal behavior (≤2 years) and with intent severity in recent attempters (n = 84). We further tested whether the above relationships varied based on mental, cognitive, and physical health status, measured as depression severity, cognitive functioning, and the presence/absence of severe physical illness. RESULTS: Participants were 62.1 years old on average (SD = 7.6), 85% White, and 53% female. Recent attempters had a mean age of 61.8 years at their most recent attempt (SD = 8.5), had lower cognitive functioning and were more likely severely physically ill than comparisons. Conscientiousness was positively associated with a higher likelihood of recent suicidal behavior overall (adjusted OR = 1.44, 95% CI = 1.09, 1.90, p = .010), but not in case of co-occurring severe physical illness (interaction OR = 0.54, 95% CI = 0.30, 0.97, p = .039). Conscientiousness was also positively associated with suicidal intent at the most recent attempt (adjusted ß = 1.60, SE = 0.62, p = .012), explaining 7% of its variance, although this association lost significance after adjusting for other personality dimensions. CONCLUSIONS: Highly conscientious middle-aged and older adults may be at increased risk of resolute suicidal behavior, although conscientiousness may not confer additional suicide risk among those severely physically ill.

Defining distress tolerance in a structural model of Big Five personality domains.

OBJECTIVE: Distress tolerance (DT)-willingness to face internal discomforts-has a fuzzy boundary with neuroticism (low emotional stability), raising questions about its independent role in models of personality and mental health. METHOD: We investigated DT's overlap with neuroticism and other Big Five factors in a structural model of personality and personality disorder features in samples of university students (N = 1025), emotional disorder patients (N = 225), and substance-use patients (N = 210). RESULTS: In exploratory factor analyses, we found that DT indicators clustered with neuroticism and were essentially unrelated to other Big Five domains. Big Five personality dimensions collectively explained approximately 40%-70% of variation in DT, across different samples and methods of quantifying shared variance. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that DT and neuroticism are near neighbors in empirical space and speculate that much of the observed correlation between DT and mental health outcomes in the literature may be carried by shared neuroticism variance. We suggest that clearer distinctions between the two constructs in empirical research could improve our understanding of DT's unique role in the development and treatment of psychopathology.

Person-specific priorities in solitude.

OBJECTIVE: People value solitude in varying degrees. Theories and studies suggest that people's appreciation of solitude varies considerably across persons (e.g., an introverted person may value solitude more than an extraverted person), and solitude experiences (i.e., on average, people may value some functions of solitude, e.g., privacy, more than other functions, e.g., self-discovery). What are the unique contributions of these two sources? METHOD: We surveyed a quota-based sample of 501 US residents about their perceived importance of a diverse set of 22 solitude functions. RESULTS: Variance component analysis reveals that both sources contributed to the variability of perceived importance of solitude (person: 22%; solitude function: 15%). Crucially, individual idiosyncratic preferences (person-by-solitude function interaction) had a substantial impact (46%). Further analyses explored the role of personality traits, showing that different functions of solitude hold varying importance for different people. For example, neurotic individuals prioritize emotion regulation, introverted individuals value relaxation, and conscientious individuals find solitude important for productivity. CONCLUSIONS: People value solitude for idiosyncratic reasons. Scientific inquiries on solitude must consider the fit between a person's characteristics and the specific functions a solitary experience affords. This research suggests that crafting or enhancing positive solitude experiences requires a personalized approach.

Exploring Sense of Purpose and Conscientiousness as Correlates to Health and Well-Being With Indigenous and Low Socioeconomic Communities on Coast Salish Territories, Vancouver, Canada.

Research is needed to better understand factors promoting health and well-being with Indigenous Peoples and people with socioeconomic barriers in Canada, given they face multiple social determinants that are barriers to health. Individual dispositions, sense of purpose and conscientiousness, are known to predict health and well-being in broader samples. In a community-based approach, guided by Indigenous Elders with traditional ways of knowing, we aimed to determine whether these measures correlate with self-rated health and well-being among Indigenous (n = 149) and non-Indigenous (n = 151) Peoples in Vancouver, Canada. The majority of participants (mean age 49 years, and 58% male) had relatively low income (≤$15,000/year) and educational attainment (

Il faudrait davantage de recherches pour mieux comprendre les facteurs qui favorisent la santé et le bien-être des populations autochtones et des personnes confrontées à des obstacles socio-économiques au Canada. En effet, ces dernières sont confrontées à de multiples déterminants sociaux qui constituent des obstacles à la santé. Les dispositions individuelles, le sens du devoir et la prise de conscience sont connus pour prédire la santé et le bien-être dans des échantillons plus larges. Dans le cadre d'une approche communautaire, guidée par des aînés autochtones ayant des connaissances traditionnelles, nous avons cherché à déterminer si ces mesures sont en corrélation avec l'auto-évaluation de la santé et du bien-être chez les autochtones (n = 149) et les non-autochtones (n = 151) de Vancouver, au Canada. La majorité des participants (âge moyen de 49 ans et 58 % d'hommes) avaient des revenus (≤ 15 000 $/an) et un niveau d'éducation (études secondaires non terminées) relativement faibles. Les facteurs étaient valides et fiables dans tous les groupes. Les scores moyens étaient similaires entre les groupes autochtones et non autochtones, et plus faibles chez les participants ayant un revenu inférieur que chez ceux ayant un revenu supérieur. Les corrélations étaient similaires entre les groupes autochtones et non autochtones : le sens du devoir est significativement corrélé avec la santé (SF-6; 0,34 et 0,28, p < 0,001) et la satisfaction à l' égard de la vie (0,55 et 0,58, p < 0,001), et la prise de conscience est corrélée avec la santé (0,19 et 0,18, p < 0,05). Les corrélations étaient similaires entre les groupes de revenus. Lors de l'étude et de la promotion de la santé, de l'équité et du bien-être des communautés autochtones et à faible statut socio-économique, le sens du devoir et les dispositions individuelles sont des facteurs à prendre en compte au même titre que les déterminants sociaux de la santé.

Self-Compassion and Willingness to Adhere to Return-to-Play Protocol Following Sport-Related Concussions.

CONTEXT: Athletes who do not follow proper concussion recovery protocols are likely to experience their symptoms for longer while putting themselves at risk of further health issues. It is, therefore, critical to identify the types of athletes who may be more or less likely to follow the guidance of medical professionals following concussions. In this research, we tested the hypothesis that athletes with higher levels of self-compassion would be more willing to follow concussion recovery protocols. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. METHODS: We collected data from 2 samples of combat sport athletes (sample 1, N = 173 and sample 2, N = 172). All participants completed online surveys assessing self-compassion, the likelihood that they would follow 10 recovery recommendations if they were to experience a concussion in their sport, and scales assessing 3 covariates: self-esteem, conscientiousness, and sport competitiveness. RESULTS: After controlling for self-esteem, conscientiousness, and sport competitiveness, the results of multiple regression analyses in both samples showed that self-compassion was positively associated with willingness to follow concussion recovery recommendations (sample 1: ß = 0.19, 1-tailed P = .039; sample 2: ß = 0.20, 1-tailed P = .025). The results of a mini meta-analysis of these effects supported this positive association, Mean r = .144, Z = 2.666, 1-tailed P = .004. CONCLUSIONS: Athletes who are highly self-compassionate reported a greater willingness to follow the advice of medical professionals and adhere to return-to-play protocol. This finding has implications for the rehabilitation of sport concussions; it may be advantageous to encourage athletes to be kind and compassionate toward themselves throughout the concussion recovery process.

Conscientiousness associated with efficiency of the salience/ventral attention network: Replication in three samples using individualized parcellation.

Conscientiousness, and related constructs impulsivity and self-control, have been related to structural and functional properties of regions in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and anterior insula. Network-based conceptions of brain function suggest that these regions belong to a single large-scale network, labeled the salience/ventral attention network (SVAN). The current study tested associations between conscientiousness and resting-state functional connectivity in this network using two community samples (N's = 244 and 239) and data from the Human Connectome Project (N = 1000). Individualized parcellation was used to improve functional localization accuracy and facilitate replication. Functional connectivity was measured using an index of network efficiency, a graph theoretical measure quantifying the capacity for parallel information transfer within a network. Efficiency of a set of parcels in the SVAN was significantly associated with conscientiousness in all samples. Findings are consistent with a theory of conscientiousness as a function of variation in neural networks underlying effective prioritization of goals.

A comprehensive item-level examination of Conscientiousness' underlying structure across three large samples.

OBJECTIVE: The present study examined the hierarchical structure of Conscientiousness across three large samples using item-level analyses. BACKGROUND: Conscientiousness is among the strongest predictors of individual differences in major life outcomes. Yet decades of work understanding the optimal lower-order structure of Conscientiousness has not rectified the differences that remain among existing models and measures. To precisely measure its relations to major life outcomes, it is necessary to work toward a comprehensive, replicable conceptualization of the construct's structure. METHODS: The present pre-registered study used three samples (Ns = 446, 406, & 424) to explore the domain's latent structure with item-level "bass-ackward" factor analyses and evaluate the resulting structure's interpretability, parsimony, and replicability. Participants completed self-report measures of Conscientiousness and criteria in its nomological network (e.g., FFM traits, externalizing behavior, disinhibitory traits; informant reports were collected as well). RESULTS: The factor analyses identified five interpretable and replicable factors (i.e., deliberation, order, industriousness, self-discipline, and dependability) using predominant measures of general personality. An additional factor (i.e., traditionalism) was introduced in the six-factor solution when the item pool was expanded to include less widely used measures of general personality. CONCLUSION: The authors discuss the item composition of each factor, their relation to existing models and measures of the domain's structure, their association with relevant criteria, and the general implications of conceptualizing Conscientiousness using flexible, item-level factor analysis.

Why are you (un)conscientious? The dynamic interplay of goals, states, and traits in everyday life.

OBJECTIVE: Personality involves both trait and state components, personal goals serving a crucial regulatory function for the expression of personality states. The present study investigates the dynamic interplay between conscientiousness-related goals, conscientious personality states, and trait conscientiousness. METHOD: A sample of 244 community participants responded to a baseline survey (T1), a 5-times-a-day Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) for 15 days, and a post-EMA survey (T2). RESULTS: Pre-registered multilevel analyses indicated significant contemporaneous positive and negative associations between momentary conscientious and unconscientious goals and state conscientiousness, respectively. Cross-lagged associations also emerged, with goals predicting future states of conscientiousness. A latent growth model was fitted on a subsample of participants (N = 159). Results indicated that change in trait conscientiousness from T1 to T2 was explained by growth in conscientiousness-related goals during the EMA phase, with a mediating effect of growth in state conscientiousness. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, the results corroborate the importance of goals for modeling contemporaneous and cross-lagged personality dynamics, both in short and longer timeframes.

A reciprocal perspective on the differential associations between personality traits and multiple indicators of academic achievement.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to explore the reciprocal associations between personality traits (conscientiousness and openness to experience) and academic achievement in adolescents, using the Personality Achievement Saturation Hypothesis (PASH). BACKGROUND: Personality traits, especially conscientiousness, and openness, have been identified as strong predictors of academic achievement. The PASH provides a framework for understanding these relationships but has mainly been studied from a unidirectional perspective. This study extends the PASH to examine reciprocal associations and how they vary with different achievement indicators. METHODS: Using large-scale panel data (N = 6482) of secondary school students in Germany, we applied cross-lagged panel models and latent change score models to examine the differential reciprocal associations between personality traits (conscientiousness/openness) and academic achievement (school grades/achievement test scores) in language and math over two years from grades 7 to 9. RESULTS: In line with the PASH, initial levels of conscientiousness were more strongly associated with school grades than with achievement test scores over two years. Simultaneously, prior school grades were more strongly associated with conscientiousness over two years. However, initial levels of openness did not show differential associations with either school grades or achievement test scores over two years. Similarly, prior school grades and achievement test scores were also not differentially associated with openness over two years. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings introduce an innovative lens through which we observe how the PASH can be leveraged to explain the differential reciprocal associations between conscientiousness and academic achievement. Further research is needed to examine if PASH could be similarly extended to disentangle the associations between openness and academic achievement.

Predicting employee telecommuting preferences and job outcomes amid COVID-19 pandemic: a latent profile analysis.

In this two-study research using latent profile analysis (LPA), we investigated intra-individual combinations of conscientiousness, autonomy, self-regulation, and extraversion. Based on these combinations, we designed profiles and explored telecommuting preferences and job outcomes of employees during the COVID-19 pandemic. In Study 1, we recruited 199 participants (77 females, ages ranging from 18 to 65). Results of this study revealed three profiles. One profile scored high on all of the variables and displayed preferences for working on-site more than the other profiles. Additionally, this profile showed higher work engagement, job satisfaction, and perceived productivity than the other two profiles. To validate these findings, we conducted a second study with a sample of 492 participants (169 females; age ranged from 18 to 65). The results yielded five profiles, one scoring high on all of the variables. Similar to Study 1, this profile exhibited higher work engagement, job satisfaction, and perceived productivity than the other four profiles. Individuals in this profile preferred to work on-site compared to individuals in other profiles. Our findings add to the research demonstrating the importance of personality characteristics for telecommuting preferences and work-related outcomes. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12144-021-02496-8.

Adherence to COVID-19 mitigation measures: The role of sociodemographic and personality factors.

The current COVID-19 pandemic caught the decision makers in many countries sub-optimally prepared to respond. To better cope with similar situations in the future, it is vital to understand the major predictors of health-beneficial behavior and adherence to imposed mitigation measures and guidelines. To tailor the promotion of government-imposed measures, it is important to understand how the sociodemographic background combined with personality traits affect the perception and responsiveness of people. We investigated the perception and adherence to mitigation measures during the pandemic by examining their trends across several sociodemographic categories and personality dimensions. The strongest predictors of confidence in the preventive measures and their implementation were the participants' concern of infection and concern of infecting their loved ones, followed by gender and age. Education, settlement size, field and type of employment, household type, own medical problems, and the age and health of the participants' loved ones had a smaller influence on the perceived guidelines importance and implementation. Adherence to measures was positively related to the participants' score in conscientiousness and, in lesser extent, openness. Agreeableness, energy, and emotional stability correlated positively with adherence to basic guidelines. Study provides information useful for developing and adapting future public health policies and interventions. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12144-021-02051-5.

Locus coeruleus catecholamines link neuroticism and vulnerability to tau pathology in aging.

Higher neuroticism is a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD), and is implicated in disordered stress responses. The locus coeruleus (LC)-catecholamine system is activated during perceived threat and is a centerpiece of developing models of the pathophysiology of AD, as it is the first brain region to develop abnormal tau. We examined relationships among the "Big 5" personality traits, LC catecholamine synthesis capacity measured with [18F]Fluoro-m-tyrosine PET, and tau burden measured with [18F]Flortaucipir PET in cognitively normal older adults (n = 47). ß-amyloid (Aß) status was determined using [11C]Pittsburgh compound B PET (n = 14 Aß positive). Lower LC catecholamine synthesis capacity was associated with higher neuroticism, more depressive symptoms as measured by the Geriatric Depression Scale, and higher amygdala tau-PET binding. Exploratory analyses with other personality traits revealed that low trait conscientiousness was also related to both lower LC catecholamine synthesis capacity, and more depressive symptoms. A significant indirect path linked both high neuroticism and low conscientiousness to greater amygdala tau burden via their mutual association with low LC catecholamine synthesis capacity. Together, these findings reveal LC catecholamine synthesis capacity to be a promising marker of affective health and pathology burden in aging, and identifies candidate neurobiological mechanisms for the effect of personality on increased vulnerability to dementia.

Conscientiousness and Cardiometabolic Risk: A Test of the Health Behavior Model of Personality Using Structural Equation Modeling.

BACKGROUND: High trait conscientiousness is associated with lower cardiometabolic risk, and health behaviors are a putative but relatively untested pathway that may explain this association. PURPOSE: To explore the role of key health behaviors (diet, physical activity, substance use, and sleep) as links between conscientiousness and cardiometabolic risk. METHODS: In a cross-sectional analysis of 494 healthy, middle-aged working adults (mean age = 42.7 years, 52.6% women, 81.0% White), participants provided self-reports of conscientiousness, physical activity, substance use, diet, and sleep, and wore monitors over a 7-day monitoring period to assess sleep (Actiwatch-16) and physical activity (SenseWear Pro3). Cardiometabolic risk was expressed as a second-order latent variable from a confirmatory factor analysis involving insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, obesity, and blood pressure. Direct, indirect, and specific indirect effect pathways linking conscientiousness to health behaviors and cardiometabolic risk were examined. Unstandardized indirect effects for each health behavior class were computed separately using bootstrapped samples. RESULTS: After controlling for demographics (sex, age, race, and education), conscientiousness showed the predicted, inverse association with cardiometabolic risk. Among the examined health behaviors, objectively-assessed sleep midpoint variability (b = -0.003, p = .04), subjective sleep quality (b = -0.003, p = .025), and objectively-assessed physical activity (b = -0.11, p = .04) linked conscientiousness to cardiometabolic risk. CONCLUSIONS: Physical activity and sleep partially accounted for the relationship between conscientiousness and cardiometabolic risk.

Longitudinal association between personality traits and homebound status in older adults: results from the National Health and Aging Trends Study.

BACKGROUND: Personality is associated with predictors of homebound status like frailty, incident falls, mobility, and depression. However, the relationship between personality traits and homebound status is unclear. This study aims to examine the longitudinal association between personality traits and homebound status among older adults. METHODS: Using data of non-homebound community-dwelling adults aged 65 years and older in the 2013 and 2014 waves (baseline) of the National Health and Aging Trends Study (N = 1538), this study examined the association between personality traits and homebound status. Homebound status (non-homebound, semi-homebound, and homebound) was determined by the frequency of going outside, difficulty in going outside, and whether there was help when going outside. Personality traits, including conscientiousness, extraversion, neuroticism, openness, and agreeableness were assessed using the 10-item Midlife Development Inventory on a rating scale from 1 (not at all) to 4 (a lot). Ordered logistic regression models were used to examine whether personality traits predicted homebound status in later 3 years with and without adjusting covariates. RESULTS: The sample was on average 77.0 ± 6.70 years old, and 55% were female. The majority were non-Hispanic whites (76%), and received some college or vocational school education or higher (55%). Homebound participants tended to be less educated older females. Three years later, 42 of 1538 baseline-non-homebound participants (3%) became homebound, and 195 participants (13%) became semi-homebound. Among these five personality traits, high conscientiousness (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 0.73, p < 0.01) was associated with a low likelihood of becoming homebound after adjusting demographic and health-related covariates. CONCLUSIONS: These findings provided a basis for personality assessment to identify and prevent individuals from becoming homebound.

Developmental trajectories of Big Five personality traits among adolescents and young adults: Differences by sex, alcohol use, and marijuana use.

OBJECTIVE: Individual differences in adolescent personality are related to a variety of long-term health outcomes. While previous studies have demonstrated sex differences and non-linear changes in personality development, these results remain equivocal. The current study utilized longitudinal data (n = 831) from the National Consortium on Alcohol and Neurodevelopment in Adolescence to examine sex differences in the development of personality and the association between substance use and personality. METHOD: Participants (ages 12-21 at baseline) completed the Ten-Item Personality Inventory and self-reported past year alcohol and marijuana use at up to 7 yearly visits. Data were analyzed using generalized additive mixed-effects models and linear mixed-effects models. RESULTS: Findings support linear increases in agreeableness and conscientious and decreases in openness with age and inform on timing of sex-specific non-linear development of extraversion and emotional stability. Further, results provide novel information regarding the timing of the association between substance use and personality, and replicate past reporting of differential associations between alcohol and marijuana use and extraversion, and sex-dependent effects of marijuana use on emotional stability. CONCLUSIONS: These findings highlight the importance of modeling sex differences in personality development using flexible non-linear modeling strategies, and accounting for sex- and age-specific effects of alcohol and marijuana use.

The association between facets of conscientiousness and performance-based and informant-rated cognition, affect, and activities in older adults.

OBJECTIVE: To identify facets of conscientiousness associated with objective cognitive performance, informant-rated cognitive decline, and informant-rated affect and activities implicated in cognitive health. METHOD: Health and Retirement Study participants (N = 2,516) reported on their personality, completed a comprehensive cognitive assessment, and had knowledgeable informants report on their cognition, affect, and activities. RESULTS: Industriousness and responsibility were associated with better cognitive performance; order was associated with less informant-rated cognitive decline. The facets were also associated with more positive affect, less negative affect, greater engagement in cognitive activities and activities outside the house, and less engagement in passive activities, as rated by a knowledgeable informant. Informant-rated engagement in cognitive activities mediated the association between self-reported responsibility and objective cognitive performance. CONCLUSIONS: Tendencies toward achievement and accountability were associated with healthier cognitive performance and daily profiles that support cognitive health, whereas organization was associated with cognition as reported by a knowledgeable informant. The differential pattern of correlates is informative for the theoretical processes that link distinct facets of conscientiousness to healthier cognitive aging.

The Big Five personality traits and regularity of lifetime dental visit attendance: evidence of the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE).

BACKGROUND: Regular dental visits are essential for the prevention, early detection and treatment of worldwide highly prevalent oral diseases. Personality traits were previously associated with treatment compliance, medication adherence and regular doctor visits, however, the link between personality traits and regular dental visit attendance remains largely unexplored. Thus, the objective of this study is to clarify this link. METHODS: Data (wave 7) of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) were used, focusing on Germany (n = 2822). Personality was assessed using the 10-item Big Five Inventory (BFI-10). Regular dental visits were assessed. Multiple logistic regressions were used, adjusting for various covariates. RESULTS: Majority of the participants (84%) reported to attend regular dental visits during lifetime. Regularity of lifetime dental visit attendance was positively and significantly associated with increased extraversion [OR 1.13, 95% CI (1.01-1.26)], increased conscientiousness [OR 1.26, 95% CI (1.10-1.44)], and increased openness to experience [OR 1.12, 95% CI (1.01-1.26)]. However, there was a lack of association with agreeableness and neuroticism. Moreover, the outcome measure was positively associated with younger age, being female, born in Germany, being married, higher education, being retired (compared to being homemaker), whereas it was not associated with obesity or chronic diseases. CONCLUSIONS: Identification of personality traits that are associated with regular dental visits can support prevention, screening and clinical management of oral diseases. Further research in this field may facilitate the development and increase the incorporation of individualized concepts to enhance patient compliance and attendance, and thus the provision of oral and dental care services.

A century of research on conscientiousness at work.

Evidence from more than 100 y of research indicates that conscientiousness (C) is the most potent noncognitive construct for occupational performance. However, questions remain about the magnitudes of its effect sizes across occupational variables, its defining characteristics and functions in occupational settings, and potential moderators of its performance relation. Drawing on 92 unique meta-analyses reporting effects for 175 distinct variables, which represent n > 1.1 million participants across k > 2,500 studies, we present the most comprehensive, quantitative review and synthesis of the occupational effects of C available in the literature. Results show C has effects in a desirable direction for 98% of variables and a grand mean of [Formula: see text] (SD = 0.13), indicative of a potent, pervasive influence across occupational variables. Using the top 33% of effect sizes [Formula: see text] we synthesize 10 characteristic themes of C's occupational functioning: 1) motivation for goal-directed performance, 2) preference for more predictable environments, 3) interpersonal responsibility for shared goals, 4) commitment, 5) perseverance, 6) self-regulatory restraint to avoid counterproductivity, and 7) proficient performance-especially for 8) conventional goals, 9) requiring persistence. Finally, we examine C's relation to performance across 8 occupations. Results indicate that occupational complexity moderates this relation. That is, 10) high occupational complexity versus low-to-moderate occupational complexity attenuates the performance effect of C. Altogether, results suggest that goal-directed performance is fundamental to C and that motivational engagement, behavioral restraint, and environmental predictability influence its optimal occupational expression. We conclude by discussing applied and policy implications of our findings.

Dispositional mindfulness mediates the relationship between conscientiousness and mental health-related issues in adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic is seriously affecting the mental health of adolescents and triggering a series of mental health-related issues. The present study investigates the relationships between conscientiousness, dispositional mindfulness (DM), and adolescents' mental health-related issues including anxiety, depression, and perceived stress during this time. In this study, after obtaining informed consent from participants' parents, 5994 Chinese adolescents voluntarily and anonymously completed an online survey. Conscientiousness was found to be negatively associated with anxiety, depression, and perceived stress. It was found to be positively associated with DM, which, in turn, negatively predicts anxiety, depression, and perceived stress. Conscientiousness is thus related to mental health-related issues, and this relationship is mediated by DM. This mediation effect is stronger in females than in males. These findings provide new and strong evidence for the protective role of conscientiousness and DM in adolescents' mental health-related issues during the COVID-19 pandemic.