Higher Neuroticism Scores Research Articles

Do Personality Traits Predict Mental Well-being in the Context of Erroneous Subjective Estimation of Smartphone Screen Time?: Findings from a Cross-sectional Observational Study Among College Students

Background: The current article reports on the findings from a cross-sectional survey conducted among college students on a subjectively reported and objectively measured smartphone screen time (ST) and its relation to mental well-being. Methods: We explored the magnitude of discrepancy between subjectively reported and objectively measured smartphone ST. Moreover, we assessed the interaction of mental well-being with personality traits among subjects with a discrepancy between the subjectively reported and objectively measured smartphone ST. The mental health of study participants was assessed using the WHO well-being index. Personality was assessed using the Big Five Inventory (BFI)- 10. A total of 202 students shared screenshots of the phone ST function and were included in the analysis. Results: A total of 145 (71.8%) participants underestimated their daily smartphone ST, whereas 56 (27.7%) of them overestimated ST. In the regression analysis, the predicted odds of poor mental well-being were 1.43 times greater for subjects with higher neuroticism scores in the overall sample. Moreover, the predicted odds of poor mental well-being were 1.593 times greater for subjects with higher neuroticism scores among the study subjects who underestimated their ST. Conclusions: The findings of the current study suggested that the magnitude of discrepancy between the subjectively estimated and objectively estimated ST varies across college students, with the discrepancy being significantly higher among those who overestimated their ST. The predicted odds of poor mental well-being were about one and a half times greater for subjects with higher neuroticism scores among college students who underestimated their ST.

Syphilis susceptibility factors atlas: A wide-angled Mendelian randomization study

ObjectiveThe pathogenic mechanisms of syphilis and the host defense mechanisms against syphilis remain poorly understood. Exploration of the susceptibility factors of syphilis may provide crucial clues for unraveling its underlying mechanisms. MethodsA two-sample Mendelian Randomization framework was utilized, and the inverse-variance weighted method was used as the main analysis. All data was sourced from Genome-wide association studies datasets from 2015 to 2022 in Europe, and all participants were of European descent. Only summary-level statistics were used. Sensitivity analyses were conducted to evaluate the heterogeneity and pleiotropy of the datasets. ResultsOur study established 18 exposure factors (12 risk factors and 6 protective factors) for syphilis susceptibility. Twelve factors encompassing body mass index, waist circumference, darker natural skin, cooked vegetable intake, processed meat intake, diabetes mellitus, glucose regulation disorders, gout, autoimmune diseases, rheumatoid arthritis, diverticulitis, and longer menstrual cycles were found to increase susceptibility to syphilis. In contrast, 6 factors including easier skin tanning, blonde natural hair color, irritability, higher neuroticism scores, extended sleep duration, and delayed age at first sexual intercourse were connected to a reduced risk of syphilis infection (all P < 0.05). ConclusionsThis study identified 18 influencing factors of syphilis susceptibility. These findings offered novel insights for further probing into the underlying pathogenic mechanisms of syphilis and underscored the importance of multifaceted prevention strategies against syphilis.

Exploring the Connection Between Myopia and Personality Traits

Traditionally recognized as the direct result of a distinct physical difference between people, myopia is related to human psychology. Objectives: To investigate the relationship between myopia and specific personality features and to ascertain whether the degree of myopia is associated with a higher incidence of personality disorders. Methods: A multicenter, cross sectional research was conducted. Non-probability purposive sampling technique used to include 60 participants of aged 15-30 years. All study participants had a thorough evaluation that included obtaining data on each participant's age, gender, academic standing, NEO Personality Inventory-Revised (PI-R) personality test findings, autorefractometry measurements, subjective refraction. A thorough slit-lamp examination was performed to assess the anterior and posterior segments. Data were analyzed by using SPSS software. Results: Out of 60 myopes, 38 (63.3%) were female and 22 (36.6%) were male. 18 (30%) had mild myopia, 25 (41.6%) had moderate myopia, and 17 (28.33%) had high myopia. 10 (16.66%) of the mild myopia group displayed affability qualities and 8 (13.33%) had extroverted personalities. Subjects with moderate myopia, 8 (13.33%) showed affability, 16 (26.66%) showed extroversion, and 1 (1.66%) showed neuroticism. 8 (13.33%) of the high myopia group revealed neuroticism, 5 (8.33%) showed an openness to new experiences, and 4 (6.66%) had extroverted dispositions. In contrast to cases with mild and moderate myopia, a substantial connection between high myopia and neuroticism was found. Conclusions: A relationship between personality traits and myopia has been identified. Higher neuroticism scores were typically found in those with more severe visual impairment and high myopia

The personality traits with depression and suicidal ideation among Thai medical students: a university-based multiregional study

BackgroundThe prevalence of depression in medical students was greater than in the general population. Knowing of predictive factors for depression among medical students is useful. The objectives of this study included the assessment of personality traits as well as the association between the personality traits and the presence of symptoms of depression, and suicidal ideation among medical students covering several regions of Thailand.MethodsFrom April to July 2023, a cross-section study was conducted. The participants included first to sixth-year medical students studying at three Faculties of Medicine in Thailand; Prince of Songkla University; Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University; and Chiang Mai University. Using the online process, the questionnaires were composed of three sections; demographic data; the International Personality Item Pool-NEO (IPIP-NEO), Thai version; and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Thai version. Demographics, personality traits, depression, and suicidal ideation were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The results were presented as frequency, mean, and standard deviation (SD) or median and interquartile range (IQR). The association between independent variables and the presence of depression was identified using binary logistic regression analysis, and the association with suicidal ideation was identified using ordinal logistic regression analysis.ResultsThe 868 medical students participated in this study. Most of them were female (63.5%), Buddhist (82.0%), and first-year medical students (31.8%). The mean age (SD) was 20.8 (2.2) years, and the mean cumulative Grade Point Average (SD) was 3.5 (0.4). They reported the median (IQR) score of PHQ-9 as 6.0 (3.0–9.0), 238 participants (27.4%) presented with depression, and 138 (15.9%) participants reported suicidal ideation. According to the IPIP-NEO, participants with depression or suicidal ideation had higher Neuroticism scores and lower Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness scores compared to those without such issues. An increase in the Neuroticism score was linked to higher odds of depression, while an increase in the Conscientiousness score was associated with lower odds of depression. Suicidal ideation significantly increased with higher Neuroticism scores and the presence of a psychiatric illness.ConclusionsMore than a quarter of Thai medical students reported depression. A higher Neuroticism and lower Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness scores related to depression. Therefore, medical schools may benefit from knowing medical students’ personality traits, to identify coping mechanisms and predict those at a higher risk of developing depression in the future.

Negative life events and their association with anxiety in adolescents with subthreshold depression

Subthreshold depression (SD) is a serious mental health problem in adolescents, and there is increasing evidence that depressive symptoms frequently occur alongside anxiety. Despite this, the extent to which negative life events (NLEs) are an associated factor in adolescents with SD comorbid with anxiety remains unclear. A total of 371 Chinese adolescents with SD were recruited (204 girls, 166 boys and missing data), ranging in age from 14 to 19 years (M = 16.34, SD = 0.96). All subjects were rated on the Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), the Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children (MASC), the Individualism-Collectivism Scale (ICS), the Adolescent Life Events Questionnaire (ALEQ), and the Neuroticism Extraversion-Openness Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI-N). The SD adolescents with higher anxiety had higher neuroticism scores, more self-reported negative life events and vertical individual orientation than those with low anxiety, and more of them were female than male (all p < 0.05). Further logistic regression indicated that gender, severity of depressive symptoms, vertical individualism orientation, and neuroticism were significantly associated with anxiety symptoms (p < 0.05). Our cross-sectional study could not explain the causal relationship between the severity of individual anxiety and risk factors in SD adolescents. Our results suggest that SD adolescents with high anxiety are more likely to experience NLEs than SD adolescents with low anxiety. Gender, severity of symptoms, vertical individualism orientation, and neuroticism are independent risk factors for anxiety in SD adolescents.

Variation in symptoms of common mental disorders in the general population during the COVID-19 pandemic: longitudinal cohort study.

A significant rise in mental health disorders was expected during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, referrals to mental health services dropped for several months before rising to pre-pandemic levels. To identify trajectories of incidence and risk factors for common mental disorders among the general population during 14 months of the COVID-19 pandemic, to inform potential mental health service needs. A cohort of 33 703 adults in England in the University College London COVID-19 Social Study provided data from March 2020 to May 2021. Growth mixture modelling was used to identify trajectories based on the probability of participants reporting symptoms of depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-9) or anxiety (Generalised Anxiety Disorder-7) in the clinical range, for each month. Sociodemographic and personality-related characteristics associated with each trajectory class were explored. Five trajectory classes were identified for depression and anxiety. Participants in the largest class (62%) were very unlikely to report clinically significant symptom levels. Other trajectories represented participants with a high likelihood of clinically significant symptoms throughout, early clinically significant symptoms that reduced over time, clinically significant symptoms that emerged as the pandemic unfolded and a moderate likelihood of clinically significant symptoms throughout. Females, younger adults, carers, those with existing mental health diagnoses, those that socialised frequently pre-pandemic and those with higher neuroticism scores were more likely to experience depression or anxiety. Nearly 40% of participants followed trajectories indicating risk of clinically significant symptoms of depression or anxiety. The identified risk factors could inform public health interventions to target individuals at risk in future health emergencies.

Prevalence of workplace bullying among employees in the general population, Saudi Arabia

Objective: This research sought to study the prevalence of workplace bullying in Saudi Arabia, examining its various types experienced by employees. Additionally, it aimed to delve into the demographic and work-related factors linked with workplace bullying. The secondary objective involved an assessment of existing policies and interventions addressing workplace bullying, with the goal of providing recommendations for enhancing prevention and management strategies in the region. Methods: This study used a self-administered questionnaire to collect data on workplace bullying experiences. Beside sociodemographic-related questions, the questionnaire used Negative Acts Questionnaire-Revised (NAQ-R) for bullying assessment. Results: The study involved 625 participants, with a mean age of 34.2 years and a balanced gender distribution. The majority were from the Eastern Province, with varying marital statuses, and were predominantly single. Most had completed university education (73.6%) and were employed (52%) in the governmental sector (64.5%). Age was found to be negatively correlated with bullying, suggesting lower levels as individuals grew older. Marital status, employment status, job role within the healthcare system, and mental disorder diagnosis significantly influenced bullying scores. Higher extraversion, agreeableness, and conscientiousness scores were adversely correlated with bullying, while higher neuroticism scores were positively correlated with bullying. Openness to experience scores showed a weak positive correlation. Conclusion: The study reveals that workplace bullying is prevalent and significantly influenced by sociodemographic factors and different personality traits. Factors like age, marital status, employment status, job role, and mental health status impacted bullying scores. Personality traits were also found to influence the likelihood of bullying.

Assessing the influence of personality and health beliefs on variability of COVID-19 fear among Egyptians: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundPatients and their families get stigmatized and socially excluded due to their fear of COVID-19, which exposes them to psychological discomfort, rage, depression, and anxiety. The purpose of this study was to assess the fear the Egyptian population had of COVID-19 and its risk factors during the pandemic.MethodsIn this study, 1002 Egyptian adults joined part via a cross-sectional online survey.The survey included questions related to sociodemographic and clinical data, the Health Belief Model (HBM), The Arabic Big Five Personality Inventory (ABFPI), and the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S).ResultsMarriage status, rural residence, non-medical work, lack of satisfaction with personal information about COVID-19, high perceived severity, perceived benefits of social distance, and high scores of neuroticism significantly increased the risk of fear from COVID-19, while low perceived susceptibility and high conscientiousness were protective factors against the fear of covid-19.ConclusionsPersonality traits and health beliefs play an important role in COVID-19-related fear during the pandemic. These findings might help in the planning of prevention programs in the future.

Psychological characteristics and emotional difficulties underlying school refusal in adolescents using functional near-infrared spectroscopy

BackgroundThis study aims to explore the psychological characteristics, related emotional problems and potential NIR brain function mechanism of adolescents who refuse to attend school.MethodsThe study included 38 adolescents (12–18 years old) who were not attending school and 35 healthy controls (12–18 years old) who are attending school regularly. Participants completed (1) general demographics, (2) Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ), (3) Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), (4) Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), and (5) Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90). In addition to the clinical tests, participants completed functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Mental health, personality, and emotional state were evaluated in both groups to explore the differences and to understand the underlying mechanisms of school refusal during adolescence.ResultsAdolescents who did not attend school had higher neuroticism scores on the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire than healthy controls (p(FDR) < 0.001), introversion and concealment scores were lower than those of healthy controls (p(FDR) < 0.001), there was no significant difference in psychoticism scores between groups. SDS, SAS, SCL-90 scores and factor scores were higher than those of healthy control group (p(FDR) < 0.001), NIR functional brain imaging was different from healthy control group in the 12 and 27 channels (p(FDR) = 0.030, p(FDR) = 0.018), and no difference was found in the remaining channels (p(FDR) > 0.05). There were statistically significant differences in age and gender between the adolescents who refused school and the control group (p(FDR) < 0.001).ConclusionSchool refusal adolescents are relatively introverted and sensitive and need more attention in daily life. Although the adolescents’ emotional problems did not reach the diagnostic criteria of depressive disorder and anxiety disorder, their scores were still higher than those of the control group, suggesting that we should pay more attention to their emotional problems in order to better help them return to school. Using fNIRS, it was found that abnormalities in frontal lobe regions in adolescents with school refusal behaviors, which would contribute to early diagnosis and timely intervention of school refusal behaviors.

Discontinuation of antidepressant treatment: a retrospective cohort study on more than 20,000 participants

BackgroundFactors influencing antidepressant treatment discontinuation are poorly understood. In the present study, we aimed to estimate the prevalence of antidepressant treatment discontinuation and identify demographic characteristics, psychiatric comorbidities, and specific side effects associated with treatment discontinuation.MethodsWe leveraged data from the Australian Genetics of Depression Study (AGDS; N = 20,941) to perform a retrospective cohort study on antidepressant treatment discontinuation. Participants were eligible if they were over 18 years of age, had taken antidepressants in the past 4 years, and provided informed consent.ResultsAmong the ten antidepressants studied, the highest discontinuation rates were observed for Mirtazapine (57.3%) and Amitriptyline (51.6%). Discontinuation rates were comparable across sexes except for Mirtazapine, for which women were more likely to discontinue. The two most common side effects, reduced sexual function and weight gain, were not associated with increased odds of treatment discontinuation. Anxiety, agitation, suicidal thoughts, vomiting, and rashes were associated with higher odds for treatment discontinuation, as were lifetime diagnoses of PTSD, ADHD, and a higher neuroticism score. Educational attainment showed a negative (protective) association with discontinuation across medications.ConclusionsOur study suggests that not all side effects contribute equally to discontinuation. Common side effects such as reduced sexual function and weight gain may not necessarily increase the risk of treatment discontinuation. Side effects linked to discontinuation can be divided into two groups, psychopathology related and allergy/intolerance.

Neuroticism and sudden cardiac death: a prospective cohort study from UK biobank.

There is a paucity of evidence on the risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD) according to the degree of neuroticism. We sought to evaluate the association between neuroticism and the long-term risk of SCD. From the UK Biobank nationwide prospective cohort, participants free from previous SCD, ventricular arrhythmias, implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) insertion, depression, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder were selected. The 12-item scale of neuroticism measurement (neuroticism score) was categorized into high (≥ 3) and low (< 3) groups. The primary outcome was SCD including ventricular fibrillation (VF) at median 12.6years of follow-up. The outcomes were compared between the groups using multivariable Cox regression and inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW). A total of 377,563 participants (aged 56.5 ± 8.1, 53.1% women) were analyzed. The high neuroticism score group had a significantly lower risk of SCD (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] = 0.87, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.79-0.96, P = 0.007; IPTW-adjusted HR [IPTW-HR] 0.87 [0.77-0.97], P = 0.016) than the low neuroticism score group. The effect of a high neuroticism score on the decreased risk of SCD was more prominent in women (IPTW-HR 0.71 [0.56-0.89], P = 0.003) than in men (IPTW-HR 0.93 [0.82-1.07], P = 0.305, P-for-interaction = 0.043). Sex differences were observed among independent predictors for incident SCD, emphasizing the protective role of a high neuroticism score and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity only in women. A high neuroticism score was significantly associated with a lower risk of SCD, particularly in women. Efforts to unveil the causal and mechanistic relationship between personality phenotypes and the risk of SCD should be continued.

Relationships Between Personality Traits and Perceived Stress in Surrogate Decision-Makers of Intensive Care Unit Patients.

Personality traits, specifically neuroticism, are related to stress in surrogate decision-makers (SDMs) in outpatient settings. We hypothesized that intrinsic traits are related to SDM stress in the intensive care unit (ICU) to determine if personality considerations should be included in interventions to support SDMs. Eligible participants (adult SDMs of non-capacitated ICU patients) completed validated questionnaires including stress (Impact of Events Scale-Revised, IES-R) and personality (Big Five Inventory, BFI) within 72 hours of ICU admission and again at 3 months post-ICU discharge (in addition to a qualitative interview). Bivariate Pearson correlations explored the relationship between BFI and IES-R at each time point (95% CI) and t-tests explored the relationship between stress and COVID-19. Mixed-methods analysis integrated qualitative and quantitative data. Of 32 SDMs, 71.9% were female, 93.8% white, and 97.0% were family members. Neuroticism was not significantly correlated to IES-R at 72 hours (r = 0.09; p = 0.64), but r increased 3 months post-discharge (r = 0.32; p = 0.07). Other BFI traits did not show similar patterns. Total stress was greater in surrogates of COVID-19-positive patients (COVID-19-positive: 60.6; COVID-19-negative: 49.8; p = 0.025). Mixed-methods analysis demonstrated that participants with high neuroticism scores had poorer emotional regulation than those with low neuroticism scores. This study supports that personality, particularly neuroticism, influences the stress of SDMs in the ICU. Further study of personality traits may identify surrogates who are at higher risk of stress-related disorders, which can guide future interventions.

The Moderating Role of Neuroticism on Evaluative Conditioning: Evidence From Ambiguous Learning Situations

Numerous studies have demonstrated a link between neuroticism and negative biases. Although some studies suggest that people with high neuroticism give more weight to negative information, others suggest that they respond more strongly to both positive and negative information. We investigated whether neuroticism is related to the evaluation of conditioned stimuli (CSs) in evaluative conditioning procedures that involve ambiguous learning conditions. We created ambiguous situations where CSs were paired with unconditioned stimuli (USs) consisting of both positive and negative pictures (Experiment 1) or paired alternatingly with positive and negative USs (Experiment 2). In addition to CSs consistently paired with positive and negative USs, we introduced neutral USs as a control condition. Our findings revealed that neurotic individuals negatively evaluated the CSs from ambiguous conditions relative to neutral conditions. In addition, participants with high neuroticism scores generally rated CSs more negatively. Theoretical and clinical implications of these results are discussed.

Association Between Big Five Personality Traits and Hypertension in Saudi Patients: A Case Control Study.

The association between personality traits and hypertension is complex and has so far not been studied in depth. The present study aims to explore the connection between the Big Five personality traits and hypertension. This case control study includes 310 participants, and the relationship between personality traits and hypertension was investigated in normotensive and hypertensive patients by the Big Five Inventory-10. We examined the association of each of the Big Five personality traits in hypertensive patients and a control group using binary logistic regression analysis. The findings of the study revealed that amongst the Big Five personality factors, low conscientiousness (OR: 1.09, 95% CI: 0.92-1.29, P<0.005) and high neuroticism (OR: 0.54, 95% CI: 0.45-0.66, P<0.001) were related with high risk of hypertension. Male, older people, and physically inactive individuals have been found to be at a higher risk of hypertension. No significant relationship was found between hypertension and marital status, education, or smoking habits. These results suggested that a low score in conscientiousness trait and a high neuroticism score may be an additional risk factor of hypertension. Thus, it may be worthy to investigate further in order to identify patients at risk and develop a more individual treatment strategy. Cognitive behavioral therapy and pharmacological options can be used preemptively in high-risk patients.

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.

The influence of personality on the quality of vision after multifocal intraocular lens implantation.

To assess the possible correlation between patients' personality traits and subjective perception of quality of vision (QoV), after multifocal intraocular lens (mIOL) implantation. patients who had bilateral implantation of a non-diffractive X-WAVE or a trifocal lens were assessed 6 months postoperatively. Patients answered the NEO-Five Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI-20) questionnaire ("Big Five five-factor personality model") to examine their personality. Six months following surgery, patients were asked to fill a QoV questionnaire where they graded the frequency of 10 common visual symptoms. Primary outcomes were to evaluate the correlation between personality scores and the reported frequency of visual disturbances. The study comprised 20 patients submitted to bilateral cataract surgery, 10 with a non-diffractive X-WAVE lens (AcrySof® IQ Vivity) and 10 with a trifocal lens (AcrySof® IQ PanOptix). Mean age was 60.23 (7.06) years. Six months following surgery, patients with lower scores of conscientiousness and extroversion reported a higher frequency of visual disturbances (blurred vision, P = .015 and P = .009, seeing double images P = .018 and P = .006, and having difficulties focusing, P = .027 and P = .022, respectively). In addition, patients with high neuroticism scores had more difficulty focusing (P = .033). In this study, personality traits such as low conscientiousness and extroversion and high neuroticism significantly influenced QoV perception 6 months after bilateral multifocal lens implantation. Patients' personality questionnaires could be a useful preoperative assessment test to a mIOL.

COVID-19 Vaccination Refusal-Which Factors are Related in the Czech Republic, One of the Most Affected Countries in the World?

Objective: This study examined the willingness to get vaccinated and the factors influencing this attitude in extreme settings-in the Czech Republic (at the time of the survey, the third-worst affected country in the world). Methods: We used national data from the general adult Czech population (N = 1,401) and measured attitudes towards vaccination, sociodemographic characteristics, government trust, knowledge about COVID-19 vaccines, personal characteristics, depression and anxiety. Results: Respondents who were more likely to refuse the vaccine were: female, younger, living without a partner, self-employed or unemployed, living in a town, believers outside the church, and did not trust the government, obtained information about the vaccine from social media, were extroverts and depressed. Conversely, respondents who were less likely to refuse the vaccine were: pensioners, people with higher education, respondents with better real knowledge about the COVID-19 vaccines, those who obtained information about the vaccine from an expert and those who had higher scores in neuroticism. Conclusion: This study thus offers a deeper understanding of the factors that might influence vaccine intention and subsequently the course of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Death Anxiety During COVID-19 and its Related Factors among Chinese Elderly People.

This study aimed at investigating death anxiety and its related factors in Chinese elderly people during COVID-19. This study totally interviewed 264 participants from four cities in different regions of China. Death anxiety scale (DAS), NEO-Five-Factor Inventory (Neo-FFI) and Brief COPE were scored on the basis of one-on-one interviews. Quarantine experience didn't make significant difference in death anxiety among the elderly; Elderly people with high death anxiety had higher scores of neuroticism, and were more likely to use a Behavior Disengagement coping strategy; Multiple linear regression analysis showed that neuroticism, openness and COVID impact predicted 44.6% of the variance in the death anxiety among elderly people. The results support both theories of vulnerability-stress model and terror management theory (TMT). In the post-epidemic era, we suggest to pay attention to the mental health status of elderly people with personality susceptibility to handling the stress of infection badly.

A comparison of taxon-like schizotypal clusters of non-clinical individuals on polygenic scores for schizophrenia and related phenotypes

IntroductionSchizotypy is conceptualized to be on the continuum of the risk for psychosis. However, previous studies that used the dimensional approach to schizotypy failed to confirm the expected relations between schizotypal traits and polygenic risk scores (PRS) for schizophrenia. A taxonic approach is an alternative way of looking at schizotypy, but to the best of our knowledge it has not been used to explore the genetic architecture of this construct.ObjectivesThe present study aimed to fill this gap by comparing groups with different profiles of schizotypal traits on PRS for schizophrenia and related phenotypes.MethodsTo find clusters with different combinations of schizotypal traits, we conducted data mining of an ethnically homogeneous cohort of 1377 healthy individuals completed the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire. Four clusters emerged, termed low, positive, negative, and high mixed schizotypy. Approximately equal groups from each cluster were selected for genotyping. After quality control, PRS for schizophrenia, depression, neuroticism, and educational attainment were calculated for 320 individuals (mean age = 31.74, SD 12.25 years, 59% women) based on the summary statistics of the largest genome-wide association studies of the respective traits. The groups from different clusters were then compared on PRS.ResultsThe schizotypy groups were similar in age and sex composition but differed in educational attainment and neuroticism (as measured by the Eysenck Personality Inventory), with the high mixed schizotypes having the lowest education and highest neuroticism scores among the schizotypy groups. There were no statistically significant differences between the groups in any PRS. However, the high mixed schizotypy group showed the largest PRS for schizophrenia, neuroticism, and depression. At a nominally significant level, it differed from negative and positive schizotypes in schizophrenia PRS and from low schizotypy in neuroticism PRS. The positive and negative schizotypal groups had non-significantly lower schizophrenia PRS than low schizotypy subjects.ConclusionsOur study showed no reliable difference between groups with different schizotypal profiles in PRS of schizophrenia and related phenotypes. At the same time, a number of trends were observed suggesting that only the high mixed schizotypy might be viewed as a condition with an elevated genetic risk of schizophrenia. This is in line with Meehl’s quasi-dimensional model of schizotypy and warrants further investigation in larger samples. This work was supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research under Grant 20-013-00230.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

The Eysenck Personality Questionnaire Revised - Abbreviated (EPQR-A): psychometric properties of the Brazilian Portuguese version.

The Eysenck Personality Questionnaire Revised - Abbreviated (EPQR-A) consists of 24 items for assessment of the three fundamental personality traits (psychoticism, extraversion, and neuroticism) and a validity scale (lie scale). Our objectives were to assess the psychometric properties of a version of this instrument culturally adapted for Brazil. 321 participants were recruited using a non-probabilistic method. Internal consistencies ranged from minimally acceptable to respectable, except for the psychoticism domain. Higher neuroticism scores were associated with higher depression and anxiety scores, higher extraversion scores were associated with lower levels of depression symptoms, and higher psychoticism scores were associated with higher levels of depression symptoms. Our findings describe sustainable psychometric properties for the Brazilian Portuguese version of EPQR-A.