Health related quality of life and personality characteristics for aging well: Evidence from the Sardinian blue zone

This study pursued two main objectives: (1) to examine the associations among Big Five personality traits, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and psychological well-being in late adulthood; and (2) to compare these variables between community-dwelling older adults living in the Sardinian Blue Zone and those residing in a neighbouring non-Blue Zone rural area. A sample of 125 older individuals (Mage = 80.1 years, SD = 5.3; range: 71–101) completed a battery of tests assessing cognitive efficiency, personality, psychological well-being, and HRQoL. The groups were balanced for age, sex, and global cognitive functioning. After controlling for age and education, correlational analyses revealed that higher levels of openness to experience, conscientiousness, and agreeableness were positively associated with psychological well-being and leisure activity engagement. Conversely, neuroticism was negatively associated with HRQoL. Examining group differences using multivariate and univariate analyses of covariance (MANCOVA and ANCOVA), it was found that individuals in the Blue Zone showed higher levels of openness to experience, more effective coping strategies, greater emotional competence, and more frequent involvement in cognitively and physically stimulating activities compared to their non-Blue Zone peers. Overall, these findings suggest that the combination of adaptive personality traits and coping resources promotes a more active lifestyle, providing insights into the mechanisms of successful aging.