Personality Change After Spousal Loss: Challenging the Posttraumatic Growth Paradigm in a Matched Longitudinal Design

Abstract Post-traumatic growth (PTG) refers to positive psychological change following adversity, traditionally assessed across five domains (e.g. Personal Strength, Relating to Others). Research suggests that PTG may be operationalized as personality change. This study investigates whether spousal loss is associated with positive changes in Big Five traits as a form of PTG. We included n=256 spousal loss cases from the publicly available Dutch LISS panel and matched controls. Controls were identified using Propensity Score Matching on relevant covariates and a Dependent Variable Matching procedure to ensure baseline trait similarity. Annual assessments spanning two years before to four years after the loss were analyzed using linear mixed models. Spousal loss was not associated with positive personality changes. On the contrary, Neuroticism, Conscientiousness, Openness, and Agreeableness shifted in a maladaptive direction. Especially in bereaved men, Neuroticism rose until the year of loss and declined subsequently but remained above control levels. Bereaved individuals also showed decreasing Conscientiousness after loss and lower overall Openness, while bereaved women under 50 years experienced decreasing Agreeableness after loss. The trait-based operationalization of PTG contradicts retrospective self-reports. Perceived PTG may align with a curvilinear course of Neuroticism, where eventual post-trauma reductions in emotional distress are perceived as growth. Keywords: Posttraumatic Growth, personality trait change, Big Five, spousal bereavement, Propensity Score Matching