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Conscientiousness and externalizing psychopathology: Overlap, developmental patterns, and etiology of two related constructs

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 July 2009

Brent W. Roberts ,
Joshua J. Jackson ,
Jessica Burger  and
Ulrich Trautwein
Brent W. Roberts*
Affiliation:
University of Illinois, Urbana–Champaign
Joshua J. Jackson
Affiliation:
University of Illinois, Urbana–Champaign
Jessica Burger
Affiliation:
University of Illinois, Urbana–Champaign
Ulrich Trautwein
Affiliation:
University of Tubingen and Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin
*
Address correspondence and reprint requests to: Brent W. Roberts, Department of Psychology, University of Illinois, 603 East Daniel Street, Champaign, IL 61820. E-mail: broberts@cyrus.psych.uiuc.edu.
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Abstract

The present paper focuses on the trait domain of conscientiousness, its development, and its relation to psychopathology. The definition of conscientiousness and its interface with specific forms of psychopathology, such as externalizing psychopathology, are discussed first. Then an overview of the known developmental changes in conscientiousness across the life course is provided, as well as the potential shared developmental etiology of conscientiousness and externalizing psychopathology. Given the lack of data, testing etiological factors that may contribute to the development of both conscientiousness and externalizing disorders, we report on three studies examining the childhood experiences associated with both conscientiousness and externalizing behaviors. Last, future directions are discussed.

Type
Regular Articles
Information
Development and Psychopathology , Volume 21 , Issue 3: Precursors and Diverse Pathways to Personality Disorder in Children and Adolescents: Part 1 , August 2009 , pp. 871 - 888
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2009

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