Moody and in love? The role of neuroticism and romantic relationships for momentary affect in adolescence

Abstract

The affective lives of adolescents are unique in that momentary affect in this age group is more negative and variable. This study examined how neuroticism and romantic relationships (i.e., relationship involvement and relationship quality) relate to adolescents’ daily affective experiences. In a weeklong experience sampling period, 408 German adolescents ( MAge = 16.83) reported up to five times per day on their positive and negative affect. We estimated mixed-effects location scale models to analyze interindividual differences in adolescents’ affect level and variability. Adolescents with higher neuroticism experienced lower levels of positive affect, higher levels of negative affect, and higher variability of positive and negative affect. Whereas adolescents with a romantic partner did not differ from their single peers with regard to affect level, they experienced higher affect variability, although evidence for these effects was weak. Finally, among adolescents who were currently involved in a romantic relationship, those with higher relationship quality experienced more variability in their positive affect if they scored higher in neuroticism. Across models, effect sizes systematically differed between affect level and variability, positive and negative affect, as well as neuroticism facets. We discuss these findings in light of adolescents’ affective dynamics, affective development, and personality-social relationship interactions.