Profiles of sibling relationships among Chinese adolescents: The contribution of parental differential treatment of siblings.

Fear of falling (FOF) is a pervasive concern among older adults, emerging not only from past experiences of falling but also from perceived physical vulnerability (). Although fear may serve as a self-protective instinct, it often evolves into a source of psychological distress, functional restriction, and reduced quality of life (). Older adults living with FOF frequently limit physical and social engagement, risking deconditioning and further increasing their risk of falling, thus perpetuating a cycle of avoidance and vulnerability (; ). As populations continue to age globally, addressing FOF has become essential to promoting autonomy and healthy aging. Personality traits may play an important yet underexplored role in how older adults interpret and respond to FOF. According to the five-factor model (), personality comprises relatively stable traits, neuroticism, conscientiousness, extraversion, openness, and agreeableness, that shape emotional tone, cognitive appraisal, and interpersonal tendencies. For instance, neuroticism also known as emotional instability, has been linked to heightened fear and avoidance (); conscientiousness to proactive planning; and openness and extraversion to adaptive coping and support-seeking (; ). Despite these connections, the lived experience of how personality influences fall-related coping remains poorly understood. While quantitative studies have identified trait-based associations with FOF (; ), few have explored how older adults make sense of, and adapt to, fall-related fear in their daily lives. Existing research has largely focused on how personality traits correlate with outcomes such as fall risk, avoidance behaviors, or anxiety (; ; ), often overlooking the meaning-making processes through which older adults negotiate vulnerability, agency, and support. Personality traits may influence not only what older adults do in response to FOF, but how they interpret risk and construct strategies for maintaining independence and emotional security (; ).