Introduction
Given the importance and impact of the perception of aging on passing through the old age and the existence of significant inter-individual differences in perceiving aging, it is necessary to determine predictors of inter-individual differences in perceptions of aging. Personality traits are among the factors that may influence this perception, as they have an important impact on how an individual adapts to negative and positive experiences related to aging. By knowing these traits, caregivers and healthcare professionals are able to better understand the needs and expectations of the elderly, provide them with more appropriate care and counseling services, and design more effective and targeted intervention programs to prevent negative perceptions of aging and its complications, thereby improving the well-being of the elderly. Therefore, the present study aims to predict the perception of aging based on the personality traits of older adults in Iran.

Methods
This is a descriptive-analytical study with a cross-sectional design. The study population consists of older adults referred to health centers in Mashhad, Iran, in 2023. The sample size was calculated as 195 using G*Power software, considering an effect size of 0.14, a type I error of 0.05, a test power of 90%. Then, considering a 10% sample dropout, the sample size increased to 215. The samples were selected using a multi-stage sampling method. From each of the five main health centers in Mashhad, two comprehensive health service centers were randomly selected. From each center, the older adults who met the inclusion criteria were randomly selected and invited to participate in the study. The inclusion criteria were age 60 years or older, informed consent to participate in the study, and ability to answer the questions. 
The exclusion criteria were cognitive problems (dementia, short-term memory impairment), use of neuropsychiatric medications, and disability. Data were collected after obtaining written informed consent using a demographic questionnaire, Brief Aging Perceptions Questionnaire (B-APQ), and Goldberg’s big five inventory. Finally, the collected data were analyzed in SPSS software, version 16 using descriptive statistics such as frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation, and inferential statistics such as t-test, ANOVA, multivariate regression analysis, and Pearson’s correlation test.
 The assumptions for performing multivariate regression analysis, including normality of data distribution, collinearity between independent variables, and homogeneity of variances, were examined. The significance level was set at 0.05.

Results
The mean age of the participants was 68.4±7.03 years, and most of them were male (n=144, 67.6%), married (n= 184, 86.4%), and unemployed (n=179, 84%) with lower than high school education (n=126, 59.2%). The mean total score of B-APQ was 60.43±8.12. Age had an inverse relationship with the B-APQ score; with increasing age, the perception of aging decreases (P<0.05). Also, the mean B-APQ score in older men was higher than in older women (P<0.05). However, in the final regression model, none of the age and gender variables remained in the model, and the findings indicated a statistically significant and negative relationship between the neuroticism dimension and perception of aging (r=-0.35, P<0.001). Other dimensions of personality traits, including extraversion (r=0.28, P<0.001), agreeableness (r=0.19, P<0.05), conscientiousness (r=0.38, P<0.001), and openness (r=0.36, P<0.001), had a significant and positive relationship with the perception of aging.
Based on the results of linear regression analysis, conscientiousness (B=0.47, SE=0.2, P=0.02) had the highest correlation with perception of aging; for a one unit increase in conscientiousness, the B-APQ score increased by 0.47 units. After that, extraversion had the highest correlation with perception of aging (B=0.36, SE=0.13, P=0.008), such that with a one unit increase in extraversion, the B-APQ score increased by 0.36 units. Neuroticism was also inversely related to perception of aging (B=-0.43, SE=0.11, P<0.001); for a one unit increase in neuroticism, the B-APQ score decreased by 0.43 units. The dimensions of openness (B=0.27, SE=0.19, P=0.16) and agreeableness (B=-0.001, SE=0.24, P=0.99) had no significant relationship with perceptions of aging. The model indicates that the personality traits can predict 22% of the variance in aging perception.

Conclusion
The results of our study showed that among the five personality traits, three traits of conscientiousness, extraversion, and neuroticism can predict perceptions of aging. Therefore, it is recommended that health policymakers and mental health professionals help improve perceptions of aging by designing educational and counseling programs focused on promoting conscientiousness and extraversion and reducing the neuroticism in older adults. These measures can help prevent negative consequences of poor aging perception and help older adults achieve a positive perception, increase quality of life, and better adapt to the challenges of aging despite health problems and limitations.

Ethical Considerations

Compliance with ethical guidelines
This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the, Sabzevar University of Medical Sciences (Code: IR.MEDSAB.REC.1402.070). All ethical principles were considered in this study.

Funding
This article was extracted from a master's thesis, funded by the Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Sabzevar University of Medical Sciences. 

Authors' contributions
All authors contributed equally to the conception and design of the study, data collection and analysis, interpretation of the results, and drafting of the manuscript. Each author approved the final version of the manuscript for submission.

Conflicts of interest
The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank the Deputy for Research and Technology of Sabzevar Sabzevar University of Medical Sciences, and all seniors who participated in this study and the staff of health centers in Mashhad for their cooperation.



 

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