The present study investigated whether social support mediated the relationship between personality traits and health among African Americans over a 5-year period, filling a gap in the literature on longitudinal tests of the personality-health association. Data were collected from a national probability sample of African American adults (N = 200). Personality was assessed at Time 1 (T1), social support was assessed 2.5 years later (T2), and physical functioning was examined 5 years (T3) after T1. Telephone surveys included measures of the five-factor model personality traits (T1), social support (T2), and physical functioning (T3). Results suggested that relationships between the T1 personality traits and T3 physical functioning were not mediated by T2 social support. Secondary analyses found that among all T1 personality traits, higher openness and lower neuroticism uniquely predicted higher T2 social support. Furthermore, among T1 personality traits, higher conscientiousness uniquely predicted better T3 physical functioning. This information may be useful to health care providers and community members in developing prevention and intervention strategies for African Americans.

中文翻译：

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在非裔美国人的全国样本中作为人格-健康关系中介的社会支持的纵向检查

本研究调查了社会支持是否在 5 年内调节了非裔美国人的人格特征与健康之间的关系，填补了有关人格-健康协会纵向测试的文献空白。数据来自非裔美国成年人的全国概率样本（N = 200）。在时间 1 (T1) 评估人格，2.5 年后 (T2) 评估社会支持，并在 T1 后 5 年 (T3) 检查身体功能。电话调查包括对五因素模型人格特质 (T1)、社会支持 (T2) 和身体机能 (T3) 的测量。结果表明，T1 人格特质和 T3 身体机能之间的关系不受 T2 社会支持的调节。二次分析发现，在所有 T1 人格特质中，较高的开放性和较低的神经质独特地预测了较高的 T2 社会支持。此外，在 T1 人格特征中，更高的责任心独特地预测了更好的 T3 身体机能。这些信息可能有助于医疗保健提供者和社区成员为非裔美国人制定预防和干预策略。