Personality and young adult financial distress

Yilan Xu (), Andrea Beller, Brent W. Roberts and Jeffrey Brown

Journal of Economic Psychology, 2015, vol. 51, issue C, 90-100

Abstract: Researchers have become increasingly interested in understanding the sources of heterogeneity in individual financial behaviors. In this paper, we examine how the Big Five personality traits are related to measures of young adults’ financial distress. Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health in the United States, we find that conscientiousness is negatively correlated, and neuroticism positively correlated with financial distress. These correlations are robust to controlling for early life background and other demographic and socioeconomic factors. Young adulthood sets the stage for financial security in later life; as such, this study provides insight for lifelong financial wellbeing. Based on the empirical results, we discuss potential behavioral and policy interventions that can be used to improve financial wellbeing.

Keywords: Personality traits; Conscientiousness; Neuroticism; Financial distress (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D12 D14 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (27)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:joepsy:v:51:y:2015:i:c:p:90-100

DOI: 10.1016/j.joep.2015.08.010

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