Personality moderates associations between personal time and parental well-being.

ABSTRACT: This study aimed to examine whether daily personal time-time spent free from external demands and available for self-directed activities-relates to better affective well-being and healthier cortisol patterns in midlife parents, and whether personality traits moderate these associations. A sample of 318 parents (Mage = 40.06 years, SD = 7.54; 45% men) with underage children (Mage of youngest child = 7.61 years, SD = 5.19) completed up to 8 consecutive days of daily diaries (mood, personal time, stress exposure) and up to 4 days of saliva sampling (4 times/day) for cortisol analysis. Multilevel modeling examined within-person links between personal time, positive and negative affect, and diurnal cortisol slopes, controlling for daily stress. Results showed that on days when they had an oppor

SUBMITTER: Pauly T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12904863 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature