CAN PERSONALITY EXPLAIN GENETIC INFLUENCES ON LIFE EVENTS

Previous research in the Swedish Adoption/Twin Study of Aging (SATSA) has found genetic influences on life events (R. Plomin, P. Lichtenstei n, N. L. Pedersen, G. E. McClearn, & J. R. Nesselroade, 1990). The pre sent study extends this finding by examining sex differences in geneti c and environmental contributions to life events and by examining pers onality as a mediator of genetic influences on life events in SATSA. A nalyses were based on 320 twin pairs, including identical and fraterna l twins reared together and apart (mean age = 58.6 years). Controllabl e, desirable, and undesirable life events revealed significant genetic variance only for women. There was no significant genetic variance fo r either sex for uncontrollable events. Multivariate analyses of perso nality (as indexed by Neuroticism, Extraversion, and Openness to Exper ience) and life events suggest that all of the genetic variance on con trollable, desirable, and undesirable life events for women is common to personality. Thus, in this sample of older adult women, genetic inf luences on life events appear to be entirely mediated by personality.