Congruence between adolescent personality types based on the Big Five domains and the 30 NEO-PI-3 personality facets

Although Resilients, Undercontrollers, and Overcontrollers are frequently used in research on personality, their status as replicable personality types is not undisputed. This study adds to the debate concerning the replicability of these types, by attempting to derive them directly from 30 NEO-PI-3 personality facets in a sample of 250 mid-adolescents. As such, a first description of mid-adolescent personality type profiles in terms of personality facets is also provided. Results provide remarkable evidence for the replicability of Resilients, Undercontrollers, and Overcontrollers from NEO-PI-3 facet-level data. Furthermore, domain-level differences between types were not necessarily reflected in differences across facets underlying these domains. Overall, our study can be considered as a demonstration of the utility of personality facets and types.

► Resilients, Undercontrollers, and Overcontrollers can be replicated from facet-level NEO-PI-3 data.
► The correspondence between personality types based upon facet-level data and domain-level data is remarkable.
► Domain-level differences between types are not necessarily reflected in differences across facets underlying these domains.
► Findings demonstrate the utility of personality types and personality facets.