Big Five Personality Domains and Relationship Satisfaction : Direct Effects and Correlated Change Over Time Madison

Objective: The Big Five Model (BFM) of personality domains are significantly related to romantic relationship outcomes, particularly marital satisfaction. Few studies to date, however, have examined the BFM domains and relationship outcomes longitudinally. Method: We used latent growth curve modeling to estimate initial levels (intercept) and rate of change (slope) in the BFM domains and marital satisfaction and determine if change in one construct was associated with change in the other. All available data were retained from participants who remained married to the same individual, as well as early waves for participants who divorced or were widowed, in the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) study (N = 1965). We expected negative associations between 1) intercepts of neuroticism and relationship A cc ep te d A rt ic le This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. satisfaction and 2) the intercept/slope of neuroticism with change in marital satisfaction. The other BFM domains were expected to have positive effects on change in satisfaction. Results: Results suggested that change over time in neuroticism and conscientiousness are detrimental to satisfaction, while initial levels of conscientiousness may predict declining marital satisfaction. Conclusions: Changes in neuroticism accompany parallel changes in relationship satisfaction in a large sample of married U.S. adults, suggesting an ongoing bidirectional influence between these constructs in enduring marriages. Keyword(s): Big Five Model, marital satisfaction, longitudinal, midlife 1 Big Five Personality Domains and Relationship Satisfaction: Direct Effects and Correlated Change Over Time The Big Five Model/Five Factor Model domains have been associated with myriad intimate relationship functioning outcomes (e.g., marital satisfaction and quality, sexual satisfaction, negative interactions; Banerjee & Basu, 2014; Botwin, Buss, & Shackleford, 1997; Bouchard, Lussier, & Sabourin, 1999; Donnellan, Conger, & Bryant, 2004; Dyrenforth, Kashy, Donnellan & Lucas, 2010; Fisher & McNulty, 2008; Razeghi, Nikiju, Mujembari, & Masihi, 2011; Rosowsky et al., 2012; Schaffhuser, Allemand, & Martin, 2014; Watson, Hubbard, & 1 Correspondence regarding this article should be addressed to Madison O’Meara or Susan C. South, Psychological Sciences, Purdue University, 703 3rd Street, West Lafayette, IN. Email: omearam@purdue.edu or ssouth@purdue.edu. A cc ep te d A rt ic le This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. Wiese, 2000). There is now substantial research linking the domains of neuroticism, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and openness (hereafter referred to as the BFM domains) to romantic relationship satisfaction in dating or married partners. One meta-analysis found small (.08 to .26 absolute r value) but significant associations between all BFM domains and own relationship satisfaction (Heller, Watson, & Iles, 2004). A later meta-analysis that combined results across dating and married samples found that low neuroticism, high agreeableness, high conscientiousness, and high extraversion were associated with higher levels of relationship satisfaction (rs ranged from .06 to .22 absolute value; Malouff et al., 2010). Much of this work to date has been cross-sectional, leading to questions as to the direction of effect. An individual’s personality may play a determining role in establishing and maintaining patterns of communicating and interacting with one’s spouse that will ultimately affect the success of that relationship (as proposed by the Vulnerability-Stress-Adaptation, or VSA, model of marital satisfaction; Karney & Bradbury, 1995). In comparison, the nature of one’s romantic relationship may in fact play a role in shaping a person’s personality. There is now robust evidence that life events may lead to changes in personality traits (e.g., Lehnart, Neyer, & Eccles, 2010; Leikas & Salmela‐ Aro, 2015; Specht, Egloff, & Schmukle, 2011), and it is reasonable to theorize that how we subjectively experience (either good or bad) our relationship with a current, committed romantic partner may lead to subsequent changes in how we think, feel, and behave. In the current study, we examine both of these possibilities as well as a third alternative—that changes in personality occur commensurate with changes in romantic relationship satisfaction.