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Annals of Behavioral Medicine
Published in: Annals of Behavioral Medicine 2/2009

01-04-2009 | Original Article

Exploring the Benefits of Conscientiousness: An Investigation of the Role of Daily Stressors and Health Behaviors

Authors: Daryl B. O’Connor, Ph.D., Mark Conner, Ph.D., Fiona Jones, Ph.D., Brian McMillan, Ph.D., Eamonn Ferguson, Ph.D.

Published in: Annals of Behavioral Medicine | Issue 2/2009

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Abstract

Background and Purpose

This study investigated the impact of conscientiousness and its facets on health behaviors and daily hassles (stressors) and the moderating effects of conscientiousness on the hassles–health behavior relationship

Methods

Four hundred and twenty-two employees completed daily diaries over 4 weeks. Day-to-day within-person effects of daily hassles on health behaviors were examined, together with the influence of conscientiousness.

Results

Using hierarchical multivariate linear modeling, the results showed that conscientiousness was associated with lower consumption of high-fat snacks and more fruit and higher caffeine intake and smoking (in smokers) across the 28-day study period. Facets of conscientiousness were also found to moderate the effects of daily hassles on vegetable consumption, smoking, and likelihood of exercising each day. Participants with higher levels of order exercised more on days when they experienced daily hassles, whereas participants with lower levels of self-efficacy consumed less vegetables on stressful days. Among smokers, those with higher levels of self-discipline reported smoking more on days when they encountered hassles.

Conclusions

These findings indicate that conscientiousness and its facets may influence health status directly via changes in health behaviors and indirectly through influencing stress–health behavior relations.
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Metadata
Title
Exploring the Benefits of Conscientiousness: An Investigation of the Role of Daily Stressors and Health Behaviors
Authors
Daryl B. O’Connor, Ph.D.
Mark Conner, Ph.D.
Fiona Jones, Ph.D.
Brian McMillan, Ph.D.
Eamonn Ferguson, Ph.D.
Publication date
01-04-2009
Publisher
Springer-Verlag
Published in
Annals of Behavioral Medicine / Issue 2/2009
Print ISSN: 0883-6612
Electronic ISSN: 1532-4796
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-009-9087-6

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