The Social Relationships and Adjustment of the Various Personality Types and Subtypes.

Most studies of child and adolescent personality have identified three main types (resilients, overcontrollers, and undercontrollers) and further subtypes using Q sort methodology. This study investigated the generalizability of a personality typology by using cluster analysis on the Big-Five scale with adolescents between 12 and 16 years of age. The goals were to: (1) demonstrate the same three personality types in terms of their configuration of scores on the Big-Five personality dimensions; (2) demonstrate subtypes within each of the resilient, undercontrolled and overcontrolled adolescent boys; and (3) validate the types and subtypes with self-reports on perceived relational support, adjustment, delinquency, substance use, and bullying. Participating were 3,284, 12- to 18-year-olds in the Netherlands. Data were obtained through questionnaires and sociometric techniques. The findings indicated that the Big-Five personality measure was able to replicate the three personality types of Overcontrollers, Undercontrollers, and Resilients found in earlier studies. Using a cluster analysis, all participants were classified. The subtypes of Impulsive and Antisocial, Undercontrolled, and Communal and Agentic Resilient adolescents were also identified. Adolescents representing specific personality types and subtypes revealed distinct configurations of adaptation in their self-descriptions of problem behaviors, addictive behaviors, and in peer evaluations of acceptance, rejection, and reputation. (Contains 20 references.) (KB)