The effect of very preterm birth on the Five-Factor Model of personality traits: A meta-analysis of individual participant data
There is mixed evidence on personality differences among those born very preterm or with very low birth weight (VP/VLBW). This meta-analysis of individual participant data aimed to examine differences in personality traits between VP/VLBW ( n = 568) and term-born ( n = 1,060) adults, and the role of neonatal characteristics and neurosensory impairments in childhood, which have not been previously investigated. Six studies were identified from two research consortia and a systematic search of the literature (PubMed and Scopus); studies were eligible if they included VP/VLBW and term-born adults followed from birth and assessed personality using the Five-Factor Model. Risk of bias (Newcastle-Ottawa Scale) was generally not a concern apart from the use of self-reported measures and the rate of follow-up. Using a one-stage approach, VP/VLBW scored lower on extraversion and openness and higher on neuroticism and agreeableness than term-born participants after adjusting for sex and parental education. Within the VP/VLBW group, those with bronchopulmonary dysplasia scored lower on extraversion and higher on neuroticism, with similar findings after removing participants with neurosensory impairments. Altogether, these findings suggest that a proportion of the effect of VP/VLBW birth on personality may be attributed to neonatal morbidities and altered brain development, although other confounding factors require further research.
Authors
- Neil Marlow (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5890-2953)
- Nicole Baumann (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0788-8685)
- Yiwen Liu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2734-0182)
- Katri Räikkönen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3124-3470)
- Marjaana Tikanmäki
- Dieter Wolke (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0304-268X)
- Samantha Johnson (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8963-7881)
- Yanyan Ni (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8745-3453)
- Rachel Robinson (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6843-9103)
- Marina Mendonça (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9224-4891)
- Peter Bartmann (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7115-3552)
- Kati Heinonen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1262-5599)
- Petteri Hovi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7790-007X)
- Anu Realo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0649-274X)
- Eero Kajantie
Institutions
- University College Hospital (GB)
- University of Helsinki (FI)
- University of Leicester (GB)
- Tampere University (FI)
- Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NO)
- Oulu University Hospital (FI)
- University Hospital Bonn (DE)
- Helsinki University Hospital (FI)
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute (AU)
- University of Warwick (GB)
- Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (FI)
- University College London (GB)
- University of Tartu (EE)
- Monash University (AU)
- University of Hong Kong (HK)
- University of Oulu (FI)
Publication Details
- Journal
- European Journal of Personality
- Published
- 2024-10-24
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1177/08902070241280101
- Citations
- 2
- Primary Topic
- Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 1.28
Funders
- Yrjö Jahnssonin Säätiö
- Academy of Finland
- Juho Vainion Säätiö
- Päivikki ja Sakari Sohlbergin Säätiö
- Signe ja Ane Gyllenbergin Säätiö
- Emil Aaltosen Säätiö
- Sydäntutkimussäätiö
- Novo Nordisk Fonden
- Diabetestutkimussäätiö
- Horizon 2020 Framework Programme
- Medical Research Council