Personality Traits, Personality Disorder Dimensions, and Physical Health: The Predictive Ability of Self and Informant Reports

Abstract

There is compelling evidence that personality is linked to disease and health-related behaviors. There is also emerging research which suggests that personality disorders (PDs) are related to health. Most assessments of normal and disordered personality rely on self-reported information, yet self reports offer only a single perspective on personality and personality pathology and may be limited by individuals’ insight ability and motivation. As such, informant reports offer an important second perspective on personality and PDs.

In the current study, I analyzed self and informant reports of normal personality and PDs, and their respective abilities to predict physical health outcomes in a representative community sample of adults (N = 1,449) approaching later life (initially aged 55-65 years old). Using a series of hierarchical binary logistic and linear multiple regression equations, I found that both informant-reported personality and PDs can add significant variance above self reports of normal personality. Informant reports did not outperform self reports, nor did disordered personality outperform normal personality as hypothesized; rather, each added unique variance. This suggests that, above self reports of normal personality, informant reports and disordered personality are important components in the study of personality-health relationships.