Does Parenthood Foster Psychological Growth? Investigating Big Five and Autotelic Personality Trait Differences in Adulthood
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Resumo
Parenthood and personality development are increasingly examined within the Big Five framework and flow-related constructs. This cross-sectional study investigated whether parenthood is associated with differences in Big Five personality traits and autotelic personality in adulthood, as well as the role of gender and sociodemographic factors. Data were collected from 708 adults (77.1% women) using the Ten-Item Personality Inventory and the Autotelic Personality Questionnaire. Parents (n=330) showed significantly higher levels of extraversion, conscientiousness, and emotional stability compared to non-parents (n=378), alongside elevated autotelic traits, including persistence, intrinsic motivation, low self-centeredness, and attentional control. Within-group analyses revealed that education, employment, and socioeconomic status were positively associated with adaptive personality profiles, while gender differences varied across parental status. Parents with higher education, employment, or multiple children demonstrated stronger self-regulation and resilience indicators. Among non-parents, employment and education were linked to improved emotional stability and attentional control. These findings suggest that parenthood is associated with enhanced adaptive personality traits and psychological resources, supporting its role as a developmental context for adult personality maturation, although causal inferences remain limited due to the cross-sectional design
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