Q: What Are the Personality Traits of Only Children?

Posted by Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen Jul 14, 2009

A few readers have asked about the personality traits of only children, on my article called How Birth Order Changes Your Life. Only children have similar personality traits as first-borns.

Here's a list of personality traits of only children:

• Strong attention to detail
• Critical of self and others
• Confident
• High achiever
• Independent
• More likely to be strongly introverted or strongly extroverted
• Increased chance of success (because other siblings don't take resources)
• Comfortable conversing with people older than themselves

If you're interested in more info about personality traits, read A Test for Introverted Personality Traits. And if you have any questions or thoughts about these personality traits of only children, I welcome your comments below!

Sources: Family & Birth Order on PBS; The Dilemma of the Only Child, Northwestern University