RELIGIOUS COPING AND PERSONALITY IN LATER LIFE

A stratified random subsample of 100 older adults from long‐term participants of the Second Duke Longitudinal Study was interviewed concerning how they coped with three stressful event periods. Responses to open‐ended coping questions were categorized as religious or non‐religious in nature. Mean scores on 16 personality traits were compared between religious copers. Few differences were observed in personality scores between these groups. Compared with non‐religious copers, religious copers scored lower on factor E (less aggressive or hostile, more humble, submissive); there was also a tendency towards being higher on factor G (more responsible, conscientious, and moralistic). Over a six‐year period between wave 1 and wave 4, stability or change in personality was not related to coping style. No evidence was found for negative personality traits among older religious copers that have commonly been reported in younger religious individuals. Copyright © 1990 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.