Does Positivity Mediate the Relation of Extraversion and Neuroticism with Subjective Happiness?

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0121991
• Publication Date: 2015-03-17T20:00:50Z
• Authors: Marco Lauriola; Luca Iani
• Keywords: Subjective Well-Being

Recent theories suggest an important role of neuroticism, extraversion, attitudes, and global positive orientations as predictors subjective happiness. We examined whether positivity mediates the hypothesized relations in a community sample 504 adults between ages 20 60 years old (females = 50%). A model with significant paths from neuroticism to happiness, extraversion positivity, happiness fitted data (Satorra–Bentler scaled chi-square (38) 105.91; Comparative Fit Index .96; Non-Normed .95; Root Mean Square Error Approximation .060; 90% confidence interval .046, .073). The percentage variance accounted for by personality traits was only about 48%, whereas adding mediating factor increased explained amount 78%. mediation invariant age gender. results show that effect on fully mediated partially mediated. Implications studies are also discussed.