Only human after all: personality, resilience, and psychological well-being across generations - a moderation approach

Abstract

This study examined the role of personality traits and resilience in psychological well-being within a lifespan-oriented framework of adaptation. Using a cross-sectional design, data from 330 Romanian adults were analyzed through correlational, hierarchical regression, and moderation analyses. Psychological well-being was conceptualized as a multidimensional construct encompassing autonomy, environmental mastery, personal growth, positive relations, purpose in life, and self-acceptance. Results showed that emotional stability, extraversion, and conscientiousness were positively associated with resilience, supporting their role in adaptive functioning. Resilience also significanlty predicted psychological well-being, explaining variance beyond personality traits. Generational cohort was examined as a moderator of the resilience–well-being relationship, but no significant moderation effect emerged. The findings suggest that resilience contributes consistently to psychological well-being across adulthood. Overall, the results highlight the combined contribution of personality and resilience and support the integration of stable individual differences and adaptive processes in interventions promoting well-being across the adult lifespan.