Short-form Revised Eysenck Personality Questionnaire Research Articles

Associations Between a General Factor and Group Factor from the Spanish-Language Eysenck Personality Questionnaire–Revised Short Form’s Neuroticism Scale and the Revised NEO Personality Inventory Domains and Facets

Prior studies used exploratory bifactor analyses to examine the structure of the Neuroticism scale from the Short-scale Eysenck Personality Questionnaire–Revised (EPQ–RS). These studies revealed a general factor and two group factors—Anxious-Tense and Worried-Vulnerable. These factors were related to poorer mental health, but their associations with physical health differed, as did their genetic and neurobiological underpinnings. A later study found that their associations with the Big Five Inventory-2 Short Form’s factors and facets differed. We reanalyzed data on 1,006 Spanish students who completed Spanish-language versions of the EPQ–RS and the Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO PI–R). Using confirmatory factor analysis, we showed that a model comprising the general factor and a group factor—Anxious-Tense—fit well. In later correlations, a joint factor analysis, and simultaneous multiple regressions, we showed that the EPQ-RS’s general factor and the group factor had different patterns of associations with the NEO PI–R domains and facets. These associations were consistent with the definition of the EPQ–RS Neuroticism scale’s general factor and that of the group factor. Further investigation into the EPQ–RS Neuroticism scale’s structure can improve our understanding of neuroticism’s relationship with health and other outcomes.

Association between dopamine receptor D2 Taq IA gene polymorphism (rs1800497) and personality traits.

This study aimed to find a potential association between the DRD2 Taq1A gene polymorphism (rs1800497 C32806T) and personality traits. In all, 249 youths were recruited for this study. The Short-form Revised Eysenck Personality Questionnaire was administered to assess personality traits. The participants were genotyped for the DRD2 Taq1A polymorphism using the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism method. Statistical analysis was carried out to find a possible association between the genotypes and aspects of personality traits assessed. The frequencies of the A1 and A2 alleles in our sampled population were 215 (43.2%) and 283 (56.8%), while the frequencies of A1A1, A1A2, and A2A2 were 67 (26.9%), 81 (32.5%), and 101 (40.6%), respectively. The study population was not in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (χ2 = 17.64, p < 0.001). The A2 allele was significantly associated with extraversion. Although this allele was also associated with neuroticism, psychoticism, and lie, the association was not significant. The A2 allele of the DRD2 Taq1A polymorphism was found to be more associated with extraversion, as measured by the Short-form Revised Eysenck Personality Questionnaire.

Relationship of personality traits with stigmatization, depression, and quality of life in patients with multiple sclerosis

Background &amp; Objective: Personality traits are associated with mental health and quality of life in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). The aim of this study was to determine personality traits in patients with MS and to examine the relationship between these traits and stigmatization, depression and quality of life. Method: This descriptive, cross-sectional study included 80 MS patients and 96 healthy controls. Data were collected online between June and July 2022. Patient/person information form, Eysenck Personality Questionnaire Revised-Short Form (EPQ-RS), Neuro Quality of Life-Stigma Scale, Beck Depression Inventory and MS Quality of Life Scale-54 were used for data collection. Results: When the age variable was controlled, it was found that the mean neuroticism subscale score was higher (p=0.003) and the mean extraversion subscale score was lower (p=0.018) than the control group. In addition, the mean extraversion score was found to be negatively correlated with stigmatization (p&lt;0.05) and depression (p&lt;0.01), and positively correlated with the physical sub-dimension of quality of life (p&lt;0.01). Neuroticism and psychoticism sub-dimensions were positively correlated with stigmatization and depression and negatively correlated with all sub-dimensions of quality of life (p&lt;0.01). In addition, regression analysis showed that depression significantly contributed to the physical health dimension of quality of life and neuroticism personality trait significantly contributed to the mental health dimension. Conclusions: Neurotic personality traits were found to be more dominant in patients with MS. Moreover, all sub-dimensions of personality traits were associated with stigmatization, depression and quality of life. Therefore, personality traits should be considered in interventions to improve mental health and quality of life.

Neuroticism personality traits are linked to adverse cardiovascular phenotypes in the UK Biobank.

To evaluate the relationship between neuroticism personality traits and cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) measures of cardiac morphology and function, considering potential differential associations in men and women. The analysis includes 36 309 UK Biobank participants (average age = 63.9 ± 7.7 years; 47.8% men) with CMR available and neuroticism score assessed by the 12-item Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-Revised Short Form. CMR scans were performed on 1.5 Tesla scanners (MAGNETOM Aera, Siemens Healthcare, Erlangen, Germany) according to pre-defined protocols and analysed using automated pipelines. We considered measures of left ventricular (LV) and right ventricular (RV) structure and function, and indicators of arterial compliance. Multivariable linear regression was used to estimate association of neuroticism score with individual CMR metrics, with adjustment for age, sex, obesity, deprivation, smoking, diabetes, hypertension, hypercholesterolaemia, alcohol use, exercise, and education. Higher neuroticism scores were associated with smaller LV and RV end-diastolic volumes, lower LV mass, greater concentricity (higher LV mass to volume ratio), and higher native T1. Greater neuroticism was also linked to poorer LV and RV function (lower stroke volumes) and greater arterial stiffness. In sex-stratified analyses, the relationships between neuroticism and LV stroke volume, concentricity, and arterial stiffness were attenuated in women. In men, association (with exception of native T1) remained robust. Greater tendency towards neuroticism personality traits is linked to smaller, poorer functioning ventricles with lower LV mass, higher myocardial fibrosis, and higher arterial stiffness. These relationships are independent of traditional vascular risk factors and are more robust in men than women.

Healthy sleep, mental health, genetic susceptibility, and risk of irritable bowel syndrome

BackgroundWe aimed to investigate the prospective association of individual and combined sleep behaviors and mental health (psychological distress and neuroticism) with incident irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). MethodsA total of 302,839 participants without prior IBS in the UK Biobank were enrolled. A healthy sleep score was created according to five sleep factors and defined the low-risk groups as follows: sleep 7–8 h/day, early chronotype, never/rarely insomnia, no snoring, and no frequent excessive daytime sleepiness. Psychological distress and neuroticism were ascertained using the Patient Health Questionnaire and the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-Revised Short Form, respectively. The primary outcome was incident IBS, based on self-report or linkage to death register and/or primary care and/or hospital admission data. ResultsDuring a median follow-up of 12.0 years, 5574 participants developed IBS. Overall, low-risk sleep behaviors and a healthy sleep score (per one point increment, HR, 0.81, 95%CI, 0.79–0.83) were associated with a lower risk of incident IBS, 29.4 %–32.4 % of which was mediated by mental health. Psychological distress (per one point increment, HR, 1.16, 95%CI, 1.14–1.17) and neuroticism (HR, 1.11, 95%CI, 1.10–1.12) were positively associated with incident IBS, and healthy sleep scores mediated 8.3 %–9.7 % of the association. Moreover, participants with lowest healthy sleep score/highest mental health score and higher genetic risk of IBS showed the highest risk of incident IBS. LimitationsSleep behaviors and mental health were assessed by self-reported questionnaires. ConclusionsHealthy sleep scores and low psychological distress/neuroticism were associated with a lower risk of IBS, regardless of genetic predisposition.

Association between personality and the risk of ischemic heart disease mortality before and after the Great East Japan Earthquake: Data from the Miyagi Cohort Study

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the association between personality and the risk of IHD mortality among Great East Japan Earthquake (GEJE) survivors, and to investigate whether personality traits affected the increase in IHD mortality observed after the GEJE. We analyzed data for 29,065 men and women in the Miyagi Cohort Study who were 40-64 years old at baseline. We divided the participants into quartiles based on scores for each of the four personality subscales (extraversion, neuroticism, psychoticism, and lie), using the Japanese version of the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-Revised Short Form. We divided the eight years before and after the GEJE event (11 March 2011) into two period, and examined the relationship between personality traits and the risk of IHD mortality. Cox proportional hazards analysis was used to estimate the multivariate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the risk of IHD mortality according to each personality subscale category. In the four years before the GEJE, neuroticism was significantly associated with an increased risk of IHD mortality. Compared with the lowest category for neuroticism, the multivariate-adjusted HR (95% CI) for IHD mortality in the highest category was 2.19 (1.03-4.67) (p-trend=0.12). In contrast, no statistically significant association between neuroticism and IHD mortality was observed in the four years after the GEJE. This finding suggests that the observed increase in IHD mortality after the GEJE can be attributed to risk factors other than personality.

Effect of childhood maltreatment on cognitive function and its relationship with personality development and social coping style in major depression disorder patients: A latent class model and network analysis.

The study aimed to (1) analyze the interrelationships among different types of childhood adversity, diverse personality dimensions, and individual coping style integratively among major depressive disorder (MDD) patients and healthy participants using a network approach; (2) explore the latent class of child maltreatment (CM) and its relationship with cognitive function. Data were collected from the Objective Diagnostic Markers and Personalized Intervention in MDD Patients (ODMPIM) study, including 1,629 Chinese participants. Using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire to assess CM, the Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire to measure individual coping style, Eysenck Personality Questionnaire Revised-Short Form for personality characters, and a series of neurocognitive tests, including seven tests with 18 subtests for cognitive assessments. We used the "Network Module" in Jeffreys's Amazing Statistics Program (JASP) and R package for network analysis. A latent class analysis was performed with SAS9.4. Child maltreatment was more common in MDD patients than in healthy controls, except for emotional abuse. Network analysis showed that emotional abuse, emotional neglect, physical abuse, and physical neglect formed quadrangle connections. Personality dimensions were associated with physical neglect and emotional abuse. All types of CM (excluding sex abuse) showed an association with coping style. Emotional neglect showed the highest centrality measures. Physical neglect had a high level of closeness. To a concerning strength, emotional and physical neglect showed the highest levels. The structure of the networks is variant between groups (M = 0.28, P = 0.04). Latent class analysis (LCA) revealed that three classes provided the best fit statistics. Neglect and abuse classes tended to perform more poorly on the five cognitive domains. This study provided insights on multi-type of CM. Neglect played an important role in different routes through the relation between CM with personality traits and social coping style. However, neglect has often been ignored in previous studies and should receive more public attention.

Prognostic factors for persistent fatigue after COVID-19: a prospective matched cohort study in primary care.

Persistent fatigue after COVID-19 is common; however, the exact incidence and prognostic factors differ between studies. Evidence suggests that age, female sex, high body mass index, and comorbidities are risk factors for long COVID. To investigate the prevalence of persistent fatigue after COVID-19 in patients with a mild infection (managed in primary care) during the first wave of the pandemic and to determine prognostic factors for persistent fatigue. This was a prospective cohort study in Dutch general practice, combining online questionnaires with data from electronic health records. Patients who contacted their GP between March and May 2020 and were diagnosed with COVID-19 during the first wave of the pandemic were included. Patients were matched to controls without COVID-19 based on age, sex, and GP practice. Fatigue was measured at 3, 6, and 15 months, using the Checklist of Individual Strength. All the participants were GP attendees and included 179 with suspected COVID-19, but who had mild COVID and who had not been admitted to hospital with COVID, and 122 without suspected COVID-19. Persistent fatigue was present in 35% (49/142) of the suspected COVID-19 group and 13% (14/109) of the non-COVID-19 group (odds ratio 3.65; 95% confidence interval = 1.82 to 7.32). Prognostic factors for persistent fatigue included low education level, absence of a partner, high neuroticism (using the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire Revised-Short Form), low resilience, high frequency of GP contact, medication use, and threatening experiences in the past. The latter three factors appeared to be prognostic factors for persistent fatigue specifically after COVID-19 infection. GP patients with COVID-19 (who were not admitted to hospital with COVID) have a fourfold higher chance of developing persistent fatigue than GP patients who had not had COVID-19. This risk is even higher in psychosocially vulnerable patients who had COVID-19.

Do Tooth Loss and Dentures Cause Body Image Disturbance?

To investigate the psychologic morbidities associated with tooth loss despite treatment with technically successful dentures. This cross-sectional questionnaire-based study compared the psychologic disturbance and functional difficulties in two groups: individuals with tooth loss who wore optimal-quality removable dentures (test group), and individuals with tooth loss who did not wear dentures (control group). The questionnaire used was developed and validated previously. The short-form revised Eysenck personality questionnaire was also used to assess the relationship with personality traits. A total of 138 participants were recruited (denture group = 70; control group = 68). There was a significant difference in body image dissatisfaction between the groups (χ2 = 7.72, P value = .005). The denture group had 5.75-times higher probability than the control group of suffering from body image disturbance. Older patients were predicted to have 75% less probability of body image disturbance (OR = 0.25), and men were predicted to have up to 70% less disturbance (OR = 0.3). As for psychologic morbidities, participants in both groups presented with somatic symptoms related to depression or anxiety, which were nearly double that expected in the general population (15.7% and 7.8%, respectively). Furthermore, participants who complained about body image impairment were more likely to have higher scores on the neuroticism scale (OR = 3.64). Tooth loss and dentures could be associated with body image dissatisfaction and psychologic morbidity. Planning for patient-centered care is paramount prior to extracting any teeth and providing replacement options.

Maternal personality and postpartum mental disorders in Japan: the Tohoku Medical Megabank Project Birth and Three-Generation Cohort Study

Personality has been shown to predict postpartum depressive symptoms (PDS) assessed by the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). However, existing studies have not considered the underlying symptom dimensions in the EPDS. We analyzed data from 15,012 women who participated in the Tohoku Medical Megabank Project Birth and Three-Generation Cohort Study. Personality was assessed in middle pregnancy using the short-form Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-Revised. PDS were defined as EPDS score ≥ 9 at 1 month after delivery. The EPDS items were further divided into three dimensions: depressed mood, anxiety, and anhedonia. Multiple analyses were conducted to examine the associations of each personality scale with PDS and three dimensions in the EPDS, adjusting for age, parity, mode of delivery, education, income, and social isolation. The prevalence of PDS assessed by the EPDS at 1 month after delivery was 13.1%. Higher neuroticism scores were associated with PDS (odds ratio [OR], 2.63; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.48 to 2.79) and all three dimensions (all p < 0.001). Lower extraversion scores were associated with PDS (OR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.70 to 0.78) and all three dimensions (all p < 0.001). Lower psychoticism scores were associated with PDS (OR, 0.89; 95% CI, 0.85 to 0.94) and anxiety (p < 0.001), but not with depressed mood (p = 0.20) or anhedonia (p = 0.92). In conclusion, higher neuroticism and lower extraversion were associated with PDS and the three underlying dimensions in the EPDS, while lower psychoticism was associated with anxiety, but not with depressed mood or anhedonia.

Maternal personality and alcohol use during pregnancy in Japan: The Tohoku Medical Megabank Project Birth and Three-Generation Cohort Study

BackgroundStudies on associations between maternal personality and alcohol use have examined only one time point during pregnancy in Western countries. We aimed to examine the association between maternal personality and alcohol use in early and middle pregnancy in Japan. MethodsWe analyzed data from 17,144 pregnant women in Japan who participated in the Tohoku Medical Megabank Project Birth and Three-Generation Cohort Study from 2013 to 2017. Personality was assessed using the short-form Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-Revised. Women were dichotomized as current drinkers or non-drinkers in both early and middle pregnancy. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for alcohol use in early and middle pregnancy and continued alcohol use between early and middle pregnancy were calculated for 1 standard deviation increase in each personality scale, adjusted for age, as well as education, work status, fertility treatment, and parity. ResultsHigher extraversion scores were associated with alcohol use in early (OR, 1.16; 95% CI, 1.12–1.20) and middle pregnancy (OR, 1.17; 95% CI, 1.10–1.25). Higher psychoticism scores were associated with continued alcohol use into middle pregnancy (OR, 1.07; 95% CI, 1.01–1.14) and alcohol use in middle pregnancy (OR, 1.07; 95% CI, 1.02–1.13). Neuroticism was not associated with alcohol use in early or middle pregnancy. Lower lie was associated with alcohol use in early (OR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.91–0.98), but not in middle pregnancy. ConclusionsDifferent personality scales are associated with alcohol use at different points during pregnancy.

Misophonic symptoms in non-psychotic psychiatric outpatients and its association with trait psychological variables

BackgroundMisophonia is commonly described as abnormal or disproportionately aversive and emotional reactions to specific sounds that interfere with patients’ psychosocial functioning. In this study, we aimed to investigate the possible associations of specific psychological traits with misophonic symptoms in psychiatric outpatients. SubjectsMisophonic Symptoms Checklist (MSC), Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-Revised Short Form (EPQRS), Maudsley Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory (MOCI), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire (BPAQ) and Somatosensory Amplification Scale (SASS) were used to assess various psychological traits in a sample of consecutive outpatients at University Hospital Psychiatry Department in September 2019. ResultsAfter multiple regression analysis, we found that the MOCI, STAI, EPQRSneuroticism, SASS, and BPAQ predicted misophonic symptoms where only SASS and MOCI were significant predictors. ConclusionsOur findings indicate that proneness to somatization and obsessivecompulsive symptoms are significantly associated with misophonic symptoms. These findings contribute to the phenomenological understanding of misophonia.

Evaluation of Personality Features and Mental State of Keratoconus Patients.

Objectives:Keratoconus (KCN) is a disorder that usually appears during adolescence and progressively reduces visual acuity. KCN may lead to differences in personality features as a result of vision loss and the numerous clinical examinations and treatment methods used from a young age. The aim of this study was to better understand the psychological characteristics of KCN patients and to define possible correlations between corneal topographic parameters and psychological state.Methods:A total of 59 KCN cases were included in the study group and were compared with 65 age- and sex-matched healthy individuals. All of the participants underwent a routine ophthalmic examination that included corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA), biomicroscopy, and fundoscopy. The KCN patients were evaluated busing Scheimpflug corneal topography. Psychiatric evaluations were performed using the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire Revised-Short Form (EPQ), the Self-Confidence Scale, the Maudsley Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory (MOCI), and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI).Results:The mean age of the case and control groups was 23.98±5.7 years and 25.82±5.4 years, respectively. The KCN cases had significantly higher EPQ neuroticism subscale scores; higher MOCI subscale scores, with the exception of the doubting subscale; and higher BDI scores. Analysis of the KCN duration revealed a positive correlation with the checking and slowness subscales of the MOCI, however, there was no significant correlation between the psychometric scale scores, corneal topographic parameters, and CDVA.Conclusion:A substantially asymmetrical course and a relatively long period for KCN to result in severe vision loss might explain the lack of correlations between psychological parameters and visual acuity. Nonetheless, the apparent effect of vision loss on emotional distress cannot be disregarded; the day-to-day progressive loss of visual acuity and multiple, costly interventions may initiate or contribute to a depressive mood in KCN patients. A vicious depressive cycle and the exhaustion of long-term coping mechanisms might be underlying factors for the higher neuroticism scores seen among KCN patients. Both the personality traits and mental state of KCN patients demonstrate distinguishing properties; clinicians working with these patients should consider their mental state in addition to other factors in order to achieve better treatment outcomes.

Maternal personality and postnatal bonding disorder in Japan: the Tohoku Medical Megabank Project Birth and Three-Generation Cohort Study

BackgroundDespite much knowledge of the effects of maternal psychopathology on bonding, the effects of personality have received less attention. We aimed to examine the association between maternal personality and postnatal bonding disorder. MethodsWe analyzed data from 15,654 women who participated in the Tohoku Medical Megabank Project Birth and Three-Generation Cohort Study. Personality was assessed in middle pregnancy using the short-form Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-Revised, with the score for each subscale categorized into four levels. Bonding disorder was defined as the Mother-to-Infant Bonding Scale score of ≥5 one month after delivery. Multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine the association between personality and bonding disorder after adjusting for age, education, parity, feelings towards pregnancy, social isolation, as well as the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS) score. ResultsHigher extraversion was associated with a decreased risk of bonding disorder (p for trend <0.001). Higher neuroticism was associated with an increased risk of bonding disorder (p for trend <0.001), and this association disappeared after further adjustment for EPDS score (p for trend 0.39). No association between psychoticism and bonding disorder was observed (p for trend 0.83), and the association appeared after further adjustment for EPDS score (p for trend 0.0017). Higher lie was associated with a decreased risk of bonding disorder (p for trend <0.001). LimitationsMaternal personality and bonding were self-reported. ConclusionsLower extraversion, higher psychoticism, and lower lie were associated with bonding disorder. The association between higher neuroticism and bonding disorder was explained by postnatal depressive symptoms.

Association between dental caries, periodontal status, and personality traits of 35–44-year-old adults in Bareilly City, Uttar Pradesh, India

Background: A majority of human diseases are said to have psychosomatic origin. Certain pathologic entities have already been accepted to have a psychological basis. Personality of an individual is one such psychological entity, but the research on relationship between personality traits and oral diseases is scarce. Aim: To find an association between the personality traits of the participants and their dental caries and periodontal status. Materials and Methods: A descriptive survey (questionnaire + clinical examination) using consecutive sampling technique was conducted. The study population consisted of 450 adults, aged 35–44 years. Sociodemographic details, oral hygiene practices, dental health seeking behavior, dietary practices, decayed–missing–filled teeth (DMFT) index, and community periodontal index were recorded. Eysenck Personality Questionnaire Revised-Short Form (Hindi version) was used to measure personality traits. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 19. Kruskal–Wallis ANOVA followed by Mann–Whitney U-test (post hoc), linear regression analysis using enter method, and logistic regression analysis were done. Results: As per the lie scale, 72 individuals were excluded, of which only 375 were further analyzed. There were 282 (62.7%) extroverts, 76 (16.9%) neurotics, 17 (3.8%) were a combination of extroversion and neuroticism, and 3 (0.7%) were a combination of extraversion and psychoticism. Dental caries (P = 0.002) and periodontal disease (P = 0.005) were significantly less in extroverts in comparison to other personality traits. Conclusions: Among different personality traits, extroverts were found to have lesser dental caries and better periodontal status. Thus, personality traits as one of the determinants of oral health may throw more light on the psychosomatic link of oral diseases, hence on the importance of behavior management.

Factor structure and validity of Type D personality scale among Indian (Tamil-speaking) patients with acute myocardial infarction.

Background:Type D personality has been linked to negative outcomes following acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Our objective was to determine the factor structure, reliability, and validity of the Type D personality construct among people with AMI in the Indian clinical setting.Materials and Methods:In a cross-sectional study conducted between August 2016 and July 2017, 200 consecutive patients with AMI admitted to a tertiary care center completed the Tamil version of the Type D scale-14 (DS-14). The Eysenck Personality Questionnaire Revised-Short Form (EPQR-S) was also administered to check the convergent/divergent validity.Results:The prevalence of Type D personality was 24%. Results of the principal components analysis revealed a four-factor solution for the Tamil version of the DS-14 which explained more than 75% of the variability. Strong convergent validity with the neuroticism subscale of EPQR-S (r = 0.84, P < 0.001) and divergent validity with the extraversion subscale (r = −0.75, P < 0.001) was noted. The two subscales of the Type D scale, negative affectivity and social inhibition (SI), demonstrated good reliability (Cronbach's alpha of 0.85 and 0.76, respectively). Dropping item no 14 from the DS-14 led to significant increase in internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha 0.81) for the SI subconstruct.Conclusion:Among an Indian Tamil-speaking clinical sample of patients with AMI, Type D is a valid construct and can be assessed using the regional version of the DS-14 which showed a four-factor structure and good psychometric properties. Item no. 14 of the DS-14 scale may need modification for the Indian setting.

Neuroticism and Somatic Complaints: Concomitant Effects of Rumination and Worry.

Neuroticism is associated with inflated somatic symptom reporting. Worry and rumination are a cognitive concomitant of neuroticism and potentially mediate the neuroticism-somatic complaint relationship. The present study examined the degree to which worry and rumination mediated the relationship between neuroticism and somatic complaints. A sample of 170 volunteers, recruited via convenience sampling, took part. Participants completed a series of self-report measures: the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire Revised-Short Form, Penn State Worry Questionnaire, the Ruminative Response Scale and the Somatic Symptom Scale-8. Analysis revealed significant positive correlations between neuroticism, rumination and worry. Neuroticism, rumination and worry also correlated positively with somatic complaints. Using structural equation modelling, a mediational model indicated that rumination fully mediated the relationship between neuroticism and somatic complaints. Findings are consistent with the symptom perception hypothesis and have implications for healthcare in terms of managing individuals who present with multiple somatic complaints. Future research would benefit from adopting a longitudinal approach to test how rumination interacts with neuroticism and somatic complaints over time.

Fear of Negative Evaluation and Communication Apprehension: The Moderating Role of Communicative Competence and Extraversion Personality Trait in Pakistani Academia

This study examines the moderating role of communicative competence and extraversion personality traits on the relationship between fear of negative evaluation and communication apprehension in Pakistani academics teaching in their second (English) language. One hundred and twenty academics (aged 25–60) completed a demographic information sheet, the Brief Fear of Negative Evaluation Questionnaire (BFNE-11) (Leary in Pers Soc Psychol Bull 9:371–376, 1983), the Personal Report of Communication Apprehension (PRCA-24) (McCroskey in An introduction to rhetorical communication, Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, 1982), the Self-Perceived Communication Competence Scale (SPCC) (McCroskey and McCroskey in Commun Res Rep 5(2):108–113, 1988) and the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire Revised-Short Form (EPQRS-R) (1985). A sequence of moderated regression analyses showed that communicative competence significantly moderated the relationship between fear of negative evaluation and communication apprehension. The findings have implications for instructors, campus counselors and researchers and academic policy makers wishing to identify factors that may help academics cross communicative barriers, enrich the learning experience and enhance positive psychological functioning.

Personality, behavioral, and social heterogeneity within the cosplay community

In an exploratory study that surveyed 929 demographically diverse self-identified adult cosplayers about extraversion and behavioral and social aspects of cosplay, respondents completed a thirty-four-item self-report questionnaire regarding demographic information, cosplay behavior, and the ten extraversion items from the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-Revised Short Form (EPQR-S). Cosplayers are within a normative range of extraversion; respondents who are relatively more introverted differ in some of their cosplay behaviors and experiences from those who are more extraverted.

Mediating role of neuroticism in the association between loneliness and cognitive function among community-dwelling older adults.

The main aim of this study was to examine whether neuroticism mediates the association between loneliness and cognitive function in older adults. This study involved 2322 representative community residents aged 60-92 years in Peninsular Malaysia. Cognition was measured by Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), loneliness was assessed by three-item loneliness scale, and neuroticism was assessed by the Short-Form Revised Eysenck Personality Questionnaire. Hierarchical multiple linear regression and Sobel tests were used for mediation analyses. Both loneliness (β = -0.04, P = 0.03) and neuroticism (β = -0.07, P < 0.001) were negatively and significantly associated with cognitive function, and most importantly, neuroticism mediated the association between loneliness and cognition (from β = -0.04, P = 0.03 to β = -0.03, P = 0.10). Neuroticism may be the potential mechanism underlying the relationship between loneliness and cognitive function in older persons.