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Personality Traits, Interpersonal Identity, and Relationship Stability: Longitudinal Linkages in Late Adolescence and Young Adulthood

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Abstract

Adolescence and young adulthood are characterized by important changes in personality, changes toward a more stable identity, and the establishment of intimate relationships. We examined the role of personality traits in establishing intimate relationships, the interplay between personality traits and interpersonal identity processes during these relationships, and the role of interpersonal identity processes and personality traits in the dissolution thereof. For this purpose, we used longitudinal data on 424 female college students (mean age at T1 = 18.6 years; Sample 1) and 390 late adolescents drawn from a community sample (56.7 % female; mean age at T1 = 19.7 years; Sample 2). Especially highly extraverted individuals were likely to become involved in a relationship. Neuroticism was associated negatively, and Agreeableness and Conscientiousness were associated positively with a stronger sense of interpersonal identity within intimate relationships. Finally, the importance of interpersonal identity processes was underscored by the fact that these processes, and not so much personality traits, predicted relational breakups. Overall, the present study provides important insights into the role of personality and identity in the initiation, maintenance, and dissolution of intimate relationships in late adolescence and young adulthood.

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Acknowledgments

TK conceived of the study, drafted the manuscript, and conducted the analyses; KL coordinated data collection of Sample 1 and helped in drafting the manuscript; SB participated in the design of the study from which Sample 2 data was drawn and helped in drafting the manuscript; ET helped in drafting the manuscript; LG designed the study from which the data for Sample 1 was drawn and helped drafting the manuscript; WM designed the study from which Sample 2 data was drawn and helped in drafting the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Developmental and Clinical Psychology, Tilburg University, Postbus 90153, 5000 LE, Tilburg, The Netherlands

    Theo A. Klimstra

  2. School Psychology and Child and Adolescent Development, Catholic University Leuven, Leuven, Belgium

    Theo A. Klimstra, Koen Luyckx, Eveline Teppers & Luc Goossens

  3. Research Centre Adolescent Development, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    Susan Branje & Wim H. J. Meeus

Authors
  1. Theo A. Klimstra
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  2. Koen Luyckx
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  3. Susan Branje
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  4. Eveline Teppers
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  5. Luc Goossens
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  6. Wim H. J. Meeus
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Theo A. Klimstra.

Additional information

Theo A. Klimstra, Koen Luyckx are postdoctoral researchers at the Fund for Scientific Research Flanders (FWO).

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Klimstra, T.A., Luyckx, K., Branje, S. et al. Personality Traits, Interpersonal Identity, and Relationship Stability: Longitudinal Linkages in Late Adolescence and Young Adulthood. J Youth Adolescence 42, 1661–1673 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-012-9862-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-012-9862-8

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