High Neuroticism Research Articles

Personality Profiles: A Person-Centered Approach to Assessing Personality Traits and Links to Emotion Regulation Processes.

This study aimed to identify personality profiles using dimensions of the five-factor model and examined whether resultant profiles were associated with emotion regulation processes. The participants included a normative sample of 383 (201 females and 182 males) Turkish university-attending emerging adults who were 18 to 25 years old. Latent profile analysis (LPA) was employed to identify distinct patterns of Big Five personality traits. The findings demonstrated that the 3-profile solution proved best-fitting: Resilient (higher openness, extraversion, conscientiousness, and agreeableness and lower neuroticism; N = 183 (97 females), 47.8%), overcontrolled (higher neuroticism and agreeableness, moderate conscientiousness, and lower openness and extraversion; N = 153 (80 females), 39.9%), and undercontrolled (higher neuroticism, extraversion, and openness and lower conscientiousness and agreeableness; N = 47 (24 females), 12.3%). The findings demonstrated that resilients, compared to overcontrollers and undercontrollers, were more likely to engage in cognitive reappraisal. On the other hand, overcontrollers tended to use the expressive suppression strategy more than resilients.

The Relationships Between Five Factor Personality Traits and Self-Control and Self-Management

This study examines the relationships between the Big Five personality traits (extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism, and openness to experience) and self-control and self- management (SCM) among university students. Utilizing a quantitative, correlational design, the research analyzed data from 207 undergraduate students (116 females, 91 males) enrolled in various academic programs at a public university in Istanbul. Participants completed the Big Five Personality Inventory (BFPI) and the Self-Control and Self-Management Scale (SCMS), both validated for Turkish samples. Findings revealed significant correlations between SCM and personality traits. Conscientiousness emerged as the strongest positive predictor of SCM, underscoring its role in fostering goal-oriented behaviors and self-regulation. Neuroticism showed a moderate negative correlation, indicating its detrimental effects on emotional stability and self-regulatory capacities. Extraversion and openness to experience demonstrated moderate positive associations with SCM, highlighting the contributions of sociability, adaptability, and creativity. Agreeableness exhibited a weaker but significant positive correlation with SCM, reflecting the supportive influence of cooperative tendencies. Gender differences were observed in specific traits, with females scoring higher in conscientiousness and neuroticism, while males reported slightly higher levels of extraversion. However, no significant gender differences in SCM were detected. These findings have practical implications for psychological counseling and educational interventions. Strategies emphasizing time management and emotional regulation may enhance self-regulation, particularly for students with high neuroticism or low conscientiousness. Future research should explore cultural influences and longitudinal dynamics to deepen understanding of these relationships. The study contributes to the growing evidence on personality’s role in shaping self-regulation and well-being.

Influence of Personality Traits on Pain Perception, Attitude, Satisfaction, Compliance, and Quality of Life in Orthodontics: A Systematic Review

Orthodontic treatment demand has surged due to heightened aesthetic concerns and the increased recognition of oral health’s role in overall well-being. This systematic review was conducted by searching across multiple databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar) for observational studies published between January 2000 and April 2024 that assessed personality traits using validated instruments, with inclusion criteria focused on outcomes such as pain perception, treatment attitude, compliance, satisfaction, and quality of life. The results consistently indicate that negative personality traits, particularly high neuroticism, are associated with increased pain perception, lower satisfaction, and reduced compliance. In contrast, positive traits, including extraversion, agreeableness, and conscientiousness, were correlated with improved orthodontic outcomes and more favorable treatment attitudes. Additionally, extraversion and openness were observed to moderate the negative impact of malocclusion severity on oral health-related quality of life. When examining gender, overall differences were minimal; however, some studies indicated that females reported slightly higher pain scores. These findings underscore the multifaceted role of personality by suggesting that psychological profiling should be incorporated into clinical practice. By recognizing individual personality profiles, clinicians can tailor treatment approaches to foster patient-centered care, optimizing orthodontic outcomes and enhancing overall patient satisfaction.

Time spent alone and loneliness in Mexican-origin youth: The role of social relationships and personality.

Loneliness is a pressing public health concern, particularly among adolescents and young adults. This preregistered study examined changes in time spent alone from 7th to 12th grade, as well as relationship and personality predictors of time spent alone in adolescence and loneliness in early adulthood, using data from a longitudinal study of 674 Mexican-origin youth in the United States, a rapidly growing yet understudied demographic. Time spent alone showed linear increases from 7th to 12th grade, with greater increases in time spent alone in high school for youth who spent a high proportion of time alone at the start of high school (9th grade). Greater time spent alone in 9th grade was significantly predicted by gender, lower peer relationship quality, parent-child support, parental warmth, higher parent-child conflict, parental hostility, and youth neuroticism. However, there were no significant predictors of change in time spent alone throughout the course of high school (from 9th to 12th grade). Lastly, loneliness in young adulthood was predicted by spending a high proportion of time alone, higher neuroticism, and lower extraversion in the 9th grade. Thus, time spent alone in adolescence may be a crucial early indicator of later loneliness.

Exploring the Impact of Personality Trait Clusters on the Quality of Life of Breast Cancer Survivors: An 18-Month Prospective Follow-Up Study.

To investigate the impact of personality trait clusters on the quality of life (QoL) of breast cancer survivors (BCS) during the first 18 months following diagnosis. A cohort of 476 newly diagnosed breast cancer patients was recruited between January 2017 and August 2018 from a single academic hospital in Seoul, Korea. Five-factor models of personality traits were assessed at baseline. QoL evaluations were performed prior to surgery and up to 18 months post-surgery. K-means clustering analysis was employed to construct personality clusters. Long-term QoL trajectories in BCS were compared between clusters, adjusting for individual resilience. Furthermore, a polygenic risk score (PRS) for neuroticism was calculated, exploring its relationships with neuroticism and personality trait clusters identified in this study. Cluster analysis suggested that a two-cluster model was more appropriate than a three-cluster model. The two clusters were characterized by (1) low neuroticism and high scores in the other four traits, and (2) high neuroticism and low scores in the other four traits. Patients in cluster 2 exhibited significantly lower baseline QoL scores compared to those in other clusters, from baseline through 18 months post-surgery. The PRS for neuroticism showed a significant association with neuroticism scores (p = 0.032) after adjusting for age and depression scores. No significant differences in PRS were observed between the clusters. Additionally, the PRS for neuroticism was not significantly associated with QoL. Our findings underscore the influence of individual personality traits on long-term QoL in BCS. These results suggest the potential for targeted interventions to enhance long-term QoL based on personalized personality profiles.

Adolescent Psychedelic Use and Mental Health Is Associated with User Personality: A Representative National Study on Drug Use

Abstract It is still unknown how current trends in psychedelic use among adolescents are related to mental health. This study reports on the prevalence of psychedelic use in a Swedish representative nationwide drug survey and its association with mental health outcomes and user personality. A cross-sectional study using data from the latest 2024 Swedish Council for Information on Alcohol and Other Drugs (CAN) school survey was conducted (N = 10,288 in 9th and 11th grades; response rate: 79%). Psychedelic use was measured along with mental health (General Anxiety, GAD-7, Daily dysfunction, and Satisfaction with Life) and personality traits (Big Five; TIPI). A total of 1.9% reported lifetime psychedelic use. Users had higher GAD-7 scores compared to non-users (M: 9.7 vs. 5.4; Cohen’s d = 0.80) and differed in personality traits with higher neuroticism (d = 0.37) and lower conscientiousness (d = − 0.54). Psychedelic use did not add an explanation to mental health (ΔR 2 = 0.01) in addition to user personality (ΔR 2 = 0.32). Adolescent psychedelic use in Sweden is associated with poorer mental health, i.e., increased anxiety. Personality traits, particularly neuroticism, play a significant role, emphasizing the importance of individual differences in understanding adolescent psychedelic use. Public health policies should integrate education on psychedelic use and personality risk factors to inform adolescents and caregivers about potential risks and benefits.

Neuroticism modulates functional connectivity of the midcingulate cortex during emotional conflict

Neuroticism (NT) is a fundamental personality trait and a major risk factor for both the onset and persistence of depression and anxiety disorders. Although NT involves alterations in emotion–cognition interaction, its precise neural mechanism remains insufficiently understood. Leveraging the word-face Stroop task, we examined neural circuits engaged during emotional conflict using a relatively large sample that exhibited a wide range of NT levels. Generalized psychophysiological interaction (gPPI) analyses revealed that individuals with high NT were characterized by decreased functional connectivity between the anterior midcingulate cortex (aMCC) and both the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) and the left amygdala. None of these regions showed modulated brain activation by NT. Our findings suggest that the neural substrates of NT can be better characterized by reduced top-down aMCC-amygdala regulation as well as inefficient communication within the dorsal cognitive system (aMCC-dlPFC), rather than changes in brain activation in isolated regions. These observations offer valuable insights into the neural markers of vulnerability to mood and anxiety disorders.

How Personality and Affective Responses Are Associated with Skepticism Towards Virtual Reality in Medical Training-A Pre-Post Intervention Study.

Virtual reality (VR) offers a safe, immersive environment for medical training, but some users remain skeptical about a broader implementation. Our study aims to explore how personality traits, affective responses, and task-related perceptions correlate with attitudes towards VR-based medical emergency training. Forty-seven medical students participated in a 30-minute VR emergency training. Personality traits were assessed using the short version of the Big Five Inventory beforehand, while affective responses (using the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, PANAS), stress, and motivation were measured before and after the training. Participants also rated the sessions' difficulty, cognitive challenge, and technical maturity of the VR program and their acceptance of VR for training and examination purposes. Cluster analysis identified three groups: Cluster 1, characterized by low technical affinity, limited prior VR experience, and high extraversion, demonstrated the greatest increase in negative affective responses and the lowest VR acceptance. In contrast, cluster 3, with high technical affinity and neuroticism, experienced more positive affective responses and increased motivation, expressing high acceptance of VR for training purposes but some reservation regarding its use in examinations. Cluster 2 displayed balanced affective responses and strong support for VR use in both settings. Thematic analysis identified perceived lack of control due to insufficient medical knowledge, technical issues, and simulation sickness as sources of negative affective responses. In conclusion, personality and affective responses may play a significant role in shaping the attitude towards VR training applications. Uncovering emotional barriers to VR adoption among skeptical users and understanding their underlying reasons may inform future strategies for overcoming them. Given the relatively small sample size, results of this preliminary study should be expanded through further examination of diverse populations and a broader range of VR applications.

Personality traits and their effects in patients with hemifacial spasm

This study aimed to investigate the personality traits of patients with hemifacial spasm (HFS) and their effects on depression, anxiety, social phobia, and quality of life (QoL). This was a prospective cross-sectional study. Fifty patients diagnosed with HFS and 50 age-, sex-, and education-matched healthy controls (HCs) were enrolled between June and September 2023. Personality traits were assessed using the Korean version of the 50-item International Personality Item Pool (IPIP) representation of Goldberg markers for the Big-Five factor structure. In terms of personality traits, patients with HFS showed lower extraversion and higher neuroticism than HCs. HFS patients also had higher levels of depression, anxiety, and social phobia, as well as lower QoL, than HCs. In patients with HFS, neuroticism decreased with age and was higher in patients with less severe spasms compared to patients with the most severe spasms. Higher extraversion was associated with lower depression and social phobia, and higher QoL. Higher neuroticism was associated with higher depression, anxiety, social interaction anxiety and social phobia, and lower QoL. Understanding these results will not only be helpful in understanding the disease and patients, but it could also be used to establish personalized management strategies.

Exploring the general acceptance factor for shared automated vehicles: the impact of personality traits and experimentally altered information.

Shared automated vehicles (SAVs) could significantly enhance public transport by addressing urban mobility challenges. However, public acceptance of SAVs remains under-studied, particularly regarding how informational factors and individual personality traits influence acceptance. This study explores SAV acceptance using data from an experimental survey of 1902 respondents across Norway. Participants were randomly presented with different informational conditions about SAV services, manipulating vehicle autonomy (fully autonomous vs. steward onboard), seating orientation (facing direction of travel vs. facing other passengers), and ethnicity of co-passengers. Personality traits from the Five Factor Model (FFM) and Social Dominance Orientation (SDO) were assessed. The General Acceptance Factor (GAF), derived from the Multi-Level Model of Automated Vehicle Acceptance (MAVA), was used as the primary outcome measure. No significant main or interaction effects were found from the experimentally altered information conditions. However, personality traits significantly influenced acceptance. Specifically, higher openness and agreeableness positively predicted SAV acceptance, while higher neuroticism and social dominance orientation negatively predicted acceptance. The absence of experimental effects suggests either a limited role of the manipulated factors or insufficiently robust manipulations. Conversely, the substantial impact of personality traits highlights the importance of psychological factors, particularly trust, openness, and social attitudes, in shaping SAV acceptance. These findings emphasize the need for tailored communication strategies to enhance SAV uptake, addressing specific psychological profiles and fostering trust in automation.

Associations between personality traits and pain experiences in trigeminal neuralgia

BackgroundPain is influenced by many factors such as personality traits and nociceptive stimuli. This study identified personality traits in patients with trigeminal neuralgia (TN) and investigated the relationships between personality traits and pain perception, pain acceptance, anxiety, and depression.MethodsFrom March to June 2024, the personality traits of 50 patients with TN and 50 healthy controls (HC) were measured using the 50-item International Personality Item Pool representation of Goldberg markers for the Big-Five factor structure. Patients’ pain perception, pain acceptance, anxiety, and depression were measured.ResultsThe mean neuroticism scores and median anxiety and depression scores of patients with TN were higher than those of HC (p = 0.006, p < 0.001, and p = 0.010). There were no significant differences in pain perception and pain acceptance according to the personality traits. The higher the neuroticism score, the higher the anxiety and depression scores (ρ = 0.437, p = 0.002 and ρ = 0.344, p = 0.014). The higher the anxiety score, the higher the pain catastrophizing score, and the lower the pain acceptance score (ρ = 0.488, p < 0.001 and ρ = -0.365, p = 0.009). Higher depression score was associated with a pain frequency of 11 or more times per 24 h (odds ratio = 1.243, p = 0.015). The higher the depression score, the lower was the pain acceptance score (ρ = -0.324, p = 0.022).ConclusionsIn patients with TN, neuroticism was not associated with pain. However, higher levels of neuroticism were associated with higher levels of anxiety and depression, and higher levels of anxiety and depression were associated with higher pain catastrophizing or pain frequency, and lower pain acceptance. These results can be used to establish individualized treatments for patients with TN, that focus on their emotional states according to personality traits, such as adapting psychological therapies differently for individuals with high neuroticism.

The role of MED22 and its transcriptional interactions with childhood trauma and trauma-focused psychotherapy in patients with major depressive disorder.

The role of MED22 and its transcriptional interactions with childhood trauma and trauma-focused psychotherapy in patients with major depressive disorder.

The association between children's motivation type and emotional overeating.

A higher level of introjected or external regulation was associated with a higher level of EoE behavior, particularly among children with high neuroticism. Conversely, a higher level of autonomy was associated with a lower level of EoE behavior, with this relationship being stronger in children with high conscientiousness or openness compared to those with lower ones. Our findings suggested that enhancing autonomy motivation and reducing introjected or external regulation may be beneficial in reducing the incidence of EoE behavior and highlighted the importance of taking children's personality traits into account during interventions to improve their effectiveness. • Previous studies have suggested that a variety of psychological factors might influence EoE behavior; however, few of them have explored the associations between motivation types and EoE behavior and the moderating role of personality traits. • This study suggested that external and introjected regulations were associated with an increased risk of EoE behavior, whereas a greater degree of autonomous regulation was associated with a decreased risk of EoE behavior. These associations were stronger in children with the personality traits of higher neuroticism, conscientiousness, or openness.

Determinants of the number of dental visits in the general adult population in Germany during the COVID-19 pandemic

BackgroundOral health is essential to general health and well-being. The utilization of oral health care services represents an important factor in reducing oral health morbidities. In order to understand the disparities in the frequency of dental visits, it is necessary to identify determinants that influence the use of those services. The aim of the current study was to investigate the determinants of the number of dental visits in Germany during the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsWe used data from the general adult population in Germany with n = 2,807 individuals in the analytical sample. Average age was 46.5 years (SD: 15.2 years, range 18 to 74 years) and 48.2% of the individuals were female. The number of dental visits in the preceding 12 months served as outcome measure. Grounded on the extended Andersen model, various determinants were included in regression analysis. Multiple negative binomial regressions were used.ResultsNegative binomial regressions showed that a higher number of dental visits was significantly associated with personality-related (higher conscientiousness, IRR: 1.09, 95% CI: 1.03–1.15; higher neuroticism, IRR: 1.06, 95% CI: 1.00-1.12) and psychosocial factors (higher loneliness, IRR: 1.12, 95% CI: 1.02–1.22). In contrast, only very few predisposing characteristics, and none of the enabling resources and need factors were significantly associated with the outcome measure.ConclusionsThis study particularly emphasized the importance of personality-related factors and psychosocial factors (in terms of loneliness) for the number of dental visits during the pandemic. These factors, often overlooked in prior research, deserve further attention in upcoming studies dealing with the number of dental visits.

Young adults’ risk profiles and predictive factors of Problematic Social Media Use (PSMU): a cross-sectional study

Abstract Problematic social media use (PSMU) is a current public health concern. The current study aimed to identify the risk profiles and predictive factors of PSMU among young Finnish adults using a cross-sectional design. Survey data were analysed with K-means clustering and logistic regression, revealing three profiles: high-risk (HRG), moderate-risk (MRG), and low-risk (LRG) groups. The HRG was characterized by low conscientiousness and self-esteem, high neuroticism, and ADHD symptoms. No significant differences were noted in social support and other personality traits across profiles. Significant associations were found between profiles and sociodemographic factors, social media use duration, and motivations for use. These findings underscore the need to consider sociodemographic, psychosocial, and motivational factors in identifying individuals at risk for PSMU. The study’s outcomes can help develop effective policies and interventions for preventing and identifying PSMU.

STRONGER YOU! ELEVATING SELF ESTEEM WITH MINDSET

Background: Adolescence (ages 14–19) is a critical developmental phase during which individuals face significant self-esteem challenges due to academic pressures, identity struggles, and socio-economic stressors. Low self-esteem is associated with increased vulnerability to mental health disorders, including anxiety and depression, negatively impacting emotional well-being and academic performance. Psychological interventions focusing on cognitive restructuring, mindfulness, and goal setting have been shown to enhance self-worth. However, the interplay between personality traits and self-esteem interventions remains underexplored, particularly within adolescent populations. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of structured psychological interventions in enhancing self-esteem and to examine the relationship between personality traits, particularly neuroticism and agreeableness, with self-esteem among adolescents. Methods: A pre-post experimental design was employed, involving 35 adolescents (51.43% males, 48.57% females) selected via purposive sampling. Self-esteem and personality traits were assessed using the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) and the Big Five Inventory-10 (BFI-10). The intervention spanned four weeks, incorporating structured psychological techniques, including SMART goal setting, gratitude journaling, mindfulness meditation, and cognitive restructuring. Paired sample t-tests analyzed pre- and post-intervention self-esteem scores, while Pearson correlation examined associations between self-esteem and personality traits. Results: The mean pre-intervention RSES score was 21.22 (SD = 3.07), increasing to 22.74 (SD = 4.05) post-intervention (t = -1.5, p = 0.04). A moderate negative correlation was observed between self-esteem and neuroticism (r = -0.403, p &lt; 0.05) and agreeableness (r = -0.345, p &lt; 0.05). Participants with high neuroticism and agreeableness demonstrated less improvement in self-esteem. Conclusion: Structured psychological interventions effectively improved self-esteem among adolescents, highlighting the importance of early intervention. The findings emphasize the role of personality traits in moderating self-esteem enhancement, suggesting a need for tailored psychological programs. Implementing such interventions in educational settings could foster resilience and long-term mental well-being.

Neuroticism is associated with future disease and mortality risks.

Neuroticism has been associated with numerous health outcomes. However, most research has focused on a single specific disorder and has produced controversial results, particularly regarding mortality risk. Here, we aimed to examine the association of neuroticism with morbidity and mortality and to elucidate how neuroticism affects trajectories from a healthy state, to one or more neuroticism-related disorders, and subsequent mortality risk. We included 483,916 participants from the UK Biobank at baseline (2006-2010). Neuroticism was measured using the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire. Three clusters were constructed, including worry, depressed affect, and sensitivity to environmental stress and adversity (SESA). Cox proportional hazards regression and multistate models were used. Linear regression was used to examine the association between neuroticism and immune parameters and neuroimaging measures. High neuroticism was associated with 37 non-overlapping diseases, including increased risk of infectious, cardiometabolic, neuropsychiatric, digestive, respiratory diseases, and decreased risk of cancer. After adjustment for sociodemographic variables, physical measures, healthy behaviors, and baseline diagnoses, moderate-to-high neuroticism was associated with a decreased risk of all-cause mortality. In multistate models, high neuroticism was associated with an increased risk of transitions from a healthy state to a first neuroticism-related disease (hazard ratio [HR] [95% confidence interval (CI)] = 1.09 [1.05-1.13], P <0.001) and subsequent transitions to multimorbidity (1.08 [1.02-1.14], P = 0.005), but was associated with a decreased risk of transitions from multimorbidity to death (0.90 [0.84-0.97], P for trend = 0.006). The leading neuroticism cluster showing a detrimental role in the health-illness transition was depressed affect, which correlated with higher amygdala volume and lower insula volume. The protective effect of neuroticism against mortality was mainly contributed by the SESA (sensitivity to environmental stress and adversity) cluster, which, unlike the other two clusters, did not affect the balance between innate and adaptive immunity. This study provides new insights into the differential role of neuroticism in health outcomes and into new perspectives for establishing mortality prevention programs for patients with multimorbidity.

Personality and Markers of Lower Extremity Function: Findings From Six Samples.

ObjectivesThis study investigated the associations between Five-Factor Model personality traits and balance impairment and lower limb strength.MethodsMiddle-aged and older adults (Age range: 34-104years; N >27,000) from six large samples from the US and England were assessed for standing balance, lower limb strength, personality traits, sociodemographic, and health-related variables.ResultsHigher extraversion, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness were related to lower balance impairment risk and better lower limb strength. Higher neuroticism was associated with higher risk of balance impairment and with weaker lower limb strength. Biological, clinical, behavioral, and psychological factors partially accounted for these associations between personality and risk of balance impairment. Depressive symptoms and physical activity partially mediated the associations between personality traits and limb strength.DiscussionPersonality traits have replicable associations with lower extremity functions. The study identifies potential moderators and mediators of these associations.

Psychosocial and behavioral risk patterns and risk of cardiovascular complications in people with type 2 diabetes.

Psychosocial and behavioral risk factors often co-occur in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). The clustering of these risk factors and their role in predisposing patients to cardiovascular complications is not well understood. This study aims to identify patient subgroups with distinct psychological and behavioral risk patterns and evaluate the long-term risk of cardiovascular complications associated with these risk patterns. A total of 24,467 patients with T2D were identified from the UK Biobank (mean age 59years, 86.7%white), used Latent Class Analysis (LCA) to distinguish risk patterns among observed psychosocial (social isolation, loneliness, high neuroticism, anxiety, and depression) and behavioral (smoking, alcohol consumption, sleep duration, diet quality, and physical inactivity) risk factors. the Cox proportional hazards model was applied to assess the association of the identified risk patterns and risk of coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke, and a composite CVD (CHD or stroke) accounting for age, age at T2D diagnosis, race, gender, Townsend Deprivation Index, anti-diabetes medications, lipid-lowering medications, and anti-hypertensive medications. Three distinct latent classes were identified: a low-risk group (n=8,227, 33.62%), a high psychosocial risk group (n=15,965, 65.25%), and a high behavioral risk group (n=275, 1.12%). Over a median follow-up of 12years, the fully adjusted model showed that the high psychosocial risk group had a significantly increased risk of CHD (HR=1.16; 95% CI 1.08, 1.24) and composite CVD (HR=1.13; 95% CI 1.06, 1.20). The psychosocial risk pattern is significantly associated with the risk of CHD and CVD among patients with T2D. These findings emphasize the importance of integrating psychosocial support into tailored care strategies to mitigate cardiovascular risks in T2D patients.

Psychological risk factors for problematic social network use: An overview of systematic reviews and meta-analyses.

Psychological risk factors for problematic social network use: An overview of systematic reviews and meta-analyses.