Study

Publication
Author(s)	Costa, P.T.; McCrae, R.R.; Morris, A.H.
Title	Personal Adjustment to Aging: Longitudinal Prediction from Neuroticism and Extraversion.
Source	Journal of Gerontology, 1981, Vol. 36, 78 - 85
Investigation
Public	17-97 aged males, visitors of the Gerontology Research Centre, followed ± 10 years Baltimore, USA. 1958-70
Last assesment	1975
	T1:1958-1963, T2:1964-1969, T3:1969-1975
Survey name	Not available
Sample	Not available
	Subjects were volunteers, Baltimore USA. 93% were high-school graduates; 96% were white. Ss were asked to fill in the questionnaires at 2 or 3 occasions: The second occasion 2-10 years (mean 5.3) after the first, the third 10-17 (mean 12.6) after the first.
Respondents N =	117
	T1: 557, T2: 423, T3: 117
Non Response	Attrition 79% at T3, mostly among psychologically least adjusted
Assesment	Questionnaire: paper
	Filled in during visit at Research Centre.
Happiness measure(s) used

Full text	Selfreport on single question: How do you feel about what you have accomplished in life...? 3 well satisfied 2 reasonable satisfied 1 dissatisfied:
Classification	C-A-h-sq-v-3-a
Author's label	Satisfaction with accomplishments
Error estimates	Retest reliability : - T1-T2 (average 5.3 years) r= +.49 (001) - T1-T3 (average 12.6 years) r= +.46 (001)
Finding used in nation ranks	Yes

Author's label		Our subject description
Extraversion	show	Earlier inner-control
Extraversion	show	Extraverted, also classified as above ↑
Neuroticism	show	Earlier mental health
Neuroticism	show	Earlier psycho-somatic complaints, also classified as above ↑
Neuroticism	show	Neurotic (f48), also classified as above ↑
Neuroticism	show	Scores on symptom inventories, also classified as above ↑
Past contentment	show	Long term happiness (< 10 years ago)
Past contentment	show	Past happiness ( 1 to 10 years ago), also classified as above ↑
Thinking introversion	show	Earlier inner-control
Thinking introversion	show	Extraverted, also classified as above ↑