Differences in Social Isolation and Psychological Flexibility by Latent Personality Traits Class

Objective: To investigate the psychosocial variables related to social isolation, which is emerging as a common social problem in early, middle, and late adulthood, and to identify how latent personality traits class is related to social isolation and psychological flexibility. Methods: One-way analysis of variance, correlation analysis, and latent profile analysis were conducted on 469 adults aged 20-69 using BFI-SF, ESLI, and K-AAQ-II. Results: First, in terms of age differences, social isolation was not statistically significant, and psychological flexibility was statistically significant, with old age being higher than other age groups. Second, each variable showed a mostly significant correlation. Social isolation showed a negative correlation with extroversion, conscientiousness, and agreeableness, and a positive correlation with neuroticism. Psychological flexibility showed a positive correlation with extroversion, openness, conscientiousness, and agreeableness, and a negative correlation with neuroticism. Social isolation and psychological flexibility showed a negative correlation. Third, the latent profiles of personality traits were classified into four types: “unstable energetic” (16%), “normal average” (58%), “adaptive flexible” (18%), and “passive avoidant” (8%). Fourth, the differences in social isolation and psychological flexibility according to the latent class of personality traits were found to be significant. In social isolation, the “passive avoidant” was the highest and “adaptive flexible” the lowest, while in psychological flexibility, the “adaptive flexible” was the highest and “passive avoidant” the lowest. Conclusions: This study predicted a relationship between social isolation and age and psychosocial variables. It broadens the comprehensive understanding of personality traits vulnerable to social isolation and personality traits with high psychological flexibility according to adult personality traits. Therefore, it has implications for counseling interventions and preventive approaches based on social isolation group considering individual differences in age, various personality traits, and psychological flexibility.