Health Personality and Well-Being: An Overview

Abstract It is well established that there are interindividual differences in many areas of well-being. Based on previous segmentation research and work connecting personality traits to health outcomes, we developed the health personality segmentation model. The health personality segmentation model takes a person-centered approach to provide optimal health care based on segmenting individuals through health personality factors. The presentation provides an overview of health personality, defined as a set of individual dispositions that are directly related to health. We introduce the Health Personality Assessment based on our health personality segmentation model, and we link health personality with resilience, activation, as well as with physical and emotional well-being. Future research should evaluate the usefulness of this assessment in applied healthcare settings.

was performed following the 4-phase Dynamic Adaptation Process (DAP) model by Aarons et al, 2012. Ten dyads (family caregivers and people with dementia) completed a regular 8-session home-based TAP intervention during 2017-2018. Qualitative data was collected through interviews and observation with caregivers, and weekly follow-up and a focus group with provider occupational therapists. Quantitative data in pilot testing was obtained through assessments at baseline and after intervention. The TAP was well accepted by family caregivers, and sociocultural adaptations on content, context, target level, and training were identified. Significant reduction of frequency and severity of neuropsychiatric symptoms in individuals with dementia was found, and caregivers reported reduction of depressive symptoms, improved perceived well-being & self-confidence. Part of a symposium sponsored by the Behavioral Interventions for Older Adults Interest Group.

UNDERSTANDING HEALTH CONCERNS OF OLDER ADULTS: HEALTH PERSONALITY, HEALTH ACTIVATION, AND WELL-BEING Chair: Peter Martin
Individuals display different levels of concern about their health. These overall concerns may be a result of health personality dispositions based on the five-factor model of personality. They include health neuroticism, health extraversion, health openness, health agreeableness, and health conscientiousness. Furthermore, whether older adults take active care of their health and how they view their overall physical and emotional well-being may depend on these health personality dispositions. This symposium sheds light on the association between health personality, resilience, activation, and well-being. The first presentation provides an overview of our health personality conceptual model and summarizes measurement properties of the Health Personality Assessment. The second presentation highlights demographic differences in health personality. Gender, age, marital status, and regional differences in health personality are reported. The third presentation links health personality with levels of health activation and resilience. Direct and indirect effects of health personality on resilience and health activation are presented. Finally, we highlight results about the relationship of health personality with physical and emotional well-being in later life. All five health personality dispositions directly related to physical and mental health. Our discussion emphasizes practical implications for health practitioners and outlines future research on health personality and outcomes.

HEALTH PERSONALITY AND WELL-BEING: AN OVERVIEW Peter Martin, Joseph Kim, Rotem Arieli, and Nicholas Cone, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, United States
It is well established that there are interindividual differences in many areas of well-being. Based on previous segmentation research and work connecting personality traits to health outcomes, we developed the health personality segmentation model. The health personality segmentation model takes a person-centered approach to provide optimal health care based on segmenting individuals through health personality factors. The presentation provides an overview of health personality, defined as a set of individual dispositions that are directly related to health. We introduce the Health Personality Assessment based on our health personality segmentation model, and we link health personality with resilience, activation, as well as with physical and emotional well-being. Future research should evaluate the usefulness of this assessment in applied healthcare settings.

DEMOGRAPHIC DIFFERENCES IN HEALTH PERSONALITY Nicholas Cone, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, United States
The purpose of this study was to explore demographic differences in health personality. Data consisted of 3,907 participants, 65 years and older. Multivariate analysis of variance with post-hoc testing revealed that women had higher health neuroticism scores than men, but men had higher health extraversion scores than women. Those married reported higher health agreeableness than those not married and young-old participants had higher health extraversion and health openness compared to other age groups. Regional differences included Midwest participants reporting higher health openness but lower health conscientiousness scores when compared to participants from other regions. There were also significant interactions. For example, individuals from geographic areas with predominately White Midwest residents were significantly higher on health neuroticism when compared to Northwest, South, and West regions. The results are helpful for healthcare providers who can tailor intervention approaches to specific populations.

HEALTH PERSONALITY, RESILIENCE, AND ACTIVATION Joseph Kim, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, United States
The purpose of this study was to identify associations among health personality, resilience, and health activation. Participants included 3907 older adults, 65 and older. Latent variable structural equation modeling with bootstrap sampling estimation was conducted. Significant direct paths were observed between health personality factors and resilience, and in turn, resilience to health activation. The results indicate that older adults who were more health conscientious, more extraverted, and less neurotic about their health were also more resilient. Also, older adults who were more resilient were more health activated. Lastly, older adults who were more health conscientious and more agreeable about their health were more health activated. Resilience had a negative indirect effect on health activation through health neuroticism and health extraversion, and a positive indirect effect through health conscientiousness. Healthcare practitioners should target older adults based on health personality and resilience levels and develop interventions to increase health activation.

HEALTH PERSONALITY, PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING Rotem Arieli, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, United States
The purpose of this study was to identify paths from health personality to outcomes of physical and emotional health. Data included 3,907 participants, 65 and older. Latent path models conducted in Mplus resulted in several significant pathways. Health neuroticism, health extraversion, and health openness negatively predicted both outcomes of physical and emotional health significantly. This negative association indicates an inverse relationship, meaning the more worried older adults were about their health, the lower their self-rating of physical and emotional health. Health agreeableness was negatively predictive of physical health, but not emotional health. Health conscientiousness had a significant positive association with both physical and emotional health, indicating that the more conscientious participants were about their health, the better their physical and emotional health. This study's findings can be translated to targeted intervention programs for emotional and physical health outcomes benefiting older adults.

UNDERSTANDING MENTAL HEALTH, VULNERABILITIES, AND COPING IN OLDER KOREANS AND OLDER KOREAN AMERICANS
Chair: Nan Sook Park Co-Chair: David Chiriboga Discussant: Barbara Yee Although significant progress has been made in understanding mental health issues, racial/ethnic minorities are disadvantaged in terms of knowledge, attitude/stigma toward mental illness, and access to treatment. Older Koreans and Korean Americans are high-risk groups with great prevalence of stigma and limited access to mental services. The two groups share similarities as well as differences. For example, Older Korean Americans, a first-generation immigrant group, tend to share traditional values and beliefs with older Koreans. However, differences in social and cultural contexts, availability of social networks and resources, and access to health care systems present unique challenges and strategies. The purpose of this symposium is to enhance the understanding of critical issues in mental health among older Koreans and Korean Americans and identify challenges and strategies to promote mental health and well-being. Five studies conducted in Korea and the US will explore a variety of personal, social, and cultural factors related with mental health, based on quantitative and qualitative approaches. The diverse topics cover the mediating role of self-esteem in the relationship of stigma to emotional well-being, the effect of stress and coping on well-being, loneliness and negative family interactions, the relationship of life stressors and social capital on mental distress among older Korean Americans compared with other older Asian Americans, and community leaders' attitude toward depression. The issues of vulnerabilities and resources will be discussed from the cultural perspectives as well as implications for future research and practice.