Personality, risky health behavior, and perceived susceptibility to health risks
Publisher DOI
Abstract
We examined the relations between personality (Five-Factor Model), risky health
behaviours, and perceptions of susceptibility to health risks among 683 university
students. The hypothesis was that personality would affect perceptions of susceptibility
to health risks in two ways: directly, irrespective of risky health behaviours, and
indirectly, through the effects of personality on risky health behaviours. The students
were surveyed about smoking, being drunk, drunk driving, risky sexual behaviour, and
perceptions of susceptibility to related health risks. In path-analytical models we found
the expected direct and indirect effects. The personality dimensions of Agreeableness and
Conscientiousness had negative direct effects on perceptions of susceptibility as well as
negative indirect effects through risky health behaviours. Neuroticism was the only
personality dimension to show positive direct effects on perceptions of susceptibility as
well as negative indirect effects.
behaviours, and perceptions of susceptibility to health risks among 683 university
students. The hypothesis was that personality would affect perceptions of susceptibility
to health risks in two ways: directly, irrespective of risky health behaviours, and
indirectly, through the effects of personality on risky health behaviours. The students
were surveyed about smoking, being drunk, drunk driving, risky sexual behaviour, and
perceptions of susceptibility to related health risks. In path-analytical models we found
the expected direct and indirect effects. The personality dimensions of Agreeableness and
Conscientiousness had negative direct effects on perceptions of susceptibility as well as
negative indirect effects through risky health behaviours. Neuroticism was the only
personality dimension to show positive direct effects on perceptions of susceptibility as
well as negative indirect effects.
Date Issued
1999-04-22
Publication Type
Article
Language(s)
en
Author(s)
Vollrath, M. | |
Cassano, L. |
Additional Credits
Journal
European journal of personality
Publisher
Wiley
ISSN
0890-2070
Access(Rights)
metadata.only