HEALTH AND PERSONALITY PREDICTORS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL FUNCTIONING IN A 7-YEAR LONGITUDINAL-STUDY

Physical health is thought to be an important correlate of psychologic al well-being among both healthy and chronically ill adults. This stud y evaluated predictors of psychological well-being in a large-scale, 7 -yr study, utilizing measures of personality, physical health, physica l activity, and social support. The sample included 3084 adults (55% f emale) who participated in the Health and Lifestyle Survey (HALS), a B ritish national survey of physical and mental health, attitudes, and l ifestyle. All subjects were assessed by interview and self-report ques tionnaire at baseline (HALS1) and 7 yr later (HALS2). Mean age of the sample at HALS1 was 44.6+/-15.1 yr (range: 18-87 yr). Psychological we ll-being was assessed with Goldberg's General Health Questionnaire (GH Q-30). Other measures included the Eysenck Personality Inventory (EPI) , self-rated health, body mass index, blood pressure and heart rare, w alking activity, and social support. A series of multiple regression a nalyses was used to predict GHQ-30 scores at HALS2 from the various ot her variables measured at HALS1. Results indicated that neuroticism (f rom the EPI) was the best predictor of HALS2 psychological well-being, but extraversion and social support did not predict well-being. Self- rated health was the only health variable that entered the regression equations, and it appeared to attenuate somewhat the relationship of n euroticism with psychological well-being. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd.