Longitudinal consistency of adult personality: Self-reported psychological characteristics across 45 years.

Examined the longitudinal consistency of personality characteristics, using data from the Kelly Longitudinal Study, a panel of 300 men and 300 women who were initially tested at age 18–35 during the 1930's. Emotional disturbance during the 1930's and 1950's, as measured by the Bernreuter Personality Inventory and the Bell Adjustment Inventory, had significant correlations in the .25–.40 range with measures of psychiatric symptoms (from the Cornell Medical Index) taken in 1979–1981. Revised inventory scales with content related to neuroticism and social introversion–extraversion had moderate longitudinal consistency across several decades of adult life and demonstrated convergent and discriminant validity. Results demonstrate the utility of personality measurements in predicting significant psychological outcomes over the full interval of the normal adult lifespan. (33 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)