Interactive Effects of Traits on Adjustment to a Life Transition Anat Bardi 1 and Carol D. Ryff 2 1 The University of Kent, Canterbury, United Kingdom 2 The University of Wisconsin-Madison ABSTRACT A longitudinal design was used to test theoretically de- rived interactive effects of traits on adjustment to relocation 1, 8, and 15 months after relocation of elderly women. Openness interacted with Neu- roticism and with Extraversion in affecting changes in distress after re- location by amplifying the basic emotional tendencies of Neuroticism and Extraversion. These were delayed effects, occurring only 15 months after relocation. Openness also interacted with Neuroticism in predicting changes in psychological well-being with the effects occurring primarily early in postmove adjustment. In addition, Extraversion interacted with Conscientiousness and with Agreeableness in predicting changes in dis- tress, such that the beneficial effects of Conscientiousness and Agreeable- ness were evident only for individuals low on Extraversion. These effects were consistent across time, showing long-term effects. Overall, the find- ings demonstrate the multiplicity of ways in which trait interactions predict dynamic adjustment to a life transition. How do personality traits combine in affecting people’s adjustment to a life transition? Few studies have examined the effects of traits on adjustment to a life transition, and none has examined interactive Anat Bardi, Department of Psychology, University of Kent, Canterbury, United Kingdom; Carol D. Ryff, Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin- Madison. Work on this research began when the first author was at the Department of Psychol- ogy of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and was completed when the first author was at the Department of Psychology of the University of Kent. This research was supported by grants from the National Institute of Aging (R01-AG08979-01A2; P01-AG020166) and the National Institute of Mental Health (P50-MH61083). Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Anat Bardi, Department of Psychology, University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent CT2 7NP, UK; E-mail: A.Bardi@kent.ac.uk. Journal of Personality 75:5, October 2007 r 2007, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation r 2007, Blackwell Publishing, Inc. DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-6494.2007.00462.x