Examining sense of purpose and conscientiousness as unique correlates of health: A bifactor examination

Conscientiousness and sense of purpose consistently predict health, wellbeing, and health behavior. However, it remains an open question whether they are unique or overlapping predictors of health and wellbeing. The current study considered this question using the MOSAiCH study, a nationally represe...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of health psychology 2024-09, Vol.29 (11), p.1195-1209
Main Authors: Hill, Patrick L, Olaru, Gabriel, Allemand, Mathias
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Aged
Conscience
Conscientiousness
Female
General factor
Health Behavior
Health Status
Humans
Male
Mental health
Middle Aged
Personality
Sense of purpose
Surveys and Questionnaires
Switzerland
Well being
Young Adult
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Summary:Conscientiousness and sense of purpose consistently predict health, wellbeing, and health behavior. However, it remains an open question whether they are unique or overlapping predictors of health and wellbeing. The current study considered this question using the MOSAiCH study, a nationally representative sample of 2305 Swiss adults (M: 52.33 years old; SD = 17.36). Participants reported on sense of purpose and conscientiousness, in addition to multiple health, wellbeing, and health behavior indicators (e.g. dietary practices, activity engagement, health conditions, psychological concerns, and doctor visits). Results found conscientiousness and sense of purpose were moderately associated with multiple health, wellbeing, and health behavior indicators. Bifactor modeling was employed to test the incremental validity of conscientiousness and sense of purpose, when accounting for their shared variance. The specific factor for purpose predicted outcomes even when accounting for conscientiousness. However, conscientiousness had little incremental validity over the general factor.
ISSN:1359-1053
1461-7277
1461-7277
DOI:10.1177/13591053241226814