The Effect of Daily Stress, Personality, and Age on Daily Negative Affect

The current study examined whether stress reactivity becomes stronger or weaker with age. Daily stress and daily negative affect were modeled using 1,012 subjects from the National Study of Daily Events (NSDE), an 8‐day daily diary study. Age ranged from 25 to 74. Data were modeled using within‐pers...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of personality 2004-04, Vol.72 (2), p.355-378
Main Authors: Mroczek, Daniel K., Almeida, David M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Adults
Affect
Age
Age differences
Age Factors
Aged
Ageing
Aging
Aging - psychology
Associations
Biological and medical sciences
Daily experiences
Daily stress
Female
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Humans
Life Change Events
Male
Mental stress
Middle Aged
Narcissism
Negative affect
Negativism
Personality
Personality traits
Personality. Affectivity
Psychology
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychology. Psychophysiology
Reactivity
Risk factors
Stress
Stress, Psychological - psychology
Time Factors
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Summary:The current study examined whether stress reactivity becomes stronger or weaker with age. Daily stress and daily negative affect were modeled using 1,012 subjects from the National Study of Daily Events (NSDE), an 8‐day daily diary study. Age ranged from 25 to 74. Data were modeled using within‐person HLM techniques. Daily stress and neuroticism interacted in their effect on daily negative affect. There was a stronger association between daily stress and negative affect for persons high in neuroticism as compared to those low on the trait. In addition, daily stress and age interacted in their effect on daily negative affect. There was a stronger association between daily stress and negative affect for older as compared to younger adults. Results suggest heightened reactivity to stressors in older adulthood, perhaps due to kindling effects. Changes in the aging brain may explain this effect. Our investigations illuminate the complexities that characterize the set of associations among negative affect, stress, personality, and age, and point to potential aging or cohort effects.
ISSN:0022-3506
1467-6494
DOI:10.1111/j.0022-3506.2004.00265.x