Neuroticism Scale Research Articles

Development and validation of a neuroticism scale: Assessment of reliability and validity

Neuroticism, a personality trait linked to emotional instability and negative emotions, is associated with increased anxiety, depression, and poor mental health outcomes, particularly in individuals with psychiatric disorders. However, existing neuroticism scales often have too many items, are not tailored for psychiatric populations, and lack cultural adaptation for Chinese contexts. We aimed to develop a brief neuroticism scale with adequate reliability and validity for the Chinese population, including individuals with psychiatric disorders. The 14-item scale was developed based on the five-factor model and Eysenck’s personality theory. The scale, in the form of a questionnaire, was distributed to college students from Southeast University and patients from the Affiliated Zhongda Hospital of Southeast University. A total of 554 participants were recruited, and demographic information, the neurotic subscale of the Neuroticism Extraversion Openness Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD-7) were collected along with the neuroticism scale. Correlation analysis, Cronbach’s alpha, exploratory factor analysis (EFA), and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were conducted to test and revise the scale. EFA indicated that the neuroticism scale consisted of four factors: Low self-esteem, excessive emotional sensitivity, unstable mood, and excessive worry. The Cronbach’s alpha was 0.926. CFA suggested a good fit of the scale structure (χ2/df =2.506, root mean square error of approximation =0.039, Tucker–Lewis index =0.947, comparative fit index =0.959, and standardized root mean square residual =0.032). The total scores of the neuroticism scale were positively related to those of PHQ-9, GAD-7, and NEO-FFI. The results indicate that the neuroticism scale exhibited a stable four-dimensional structure with good reliability and validity in the Chinese population. It is useful and time-saving for assessing neuroticism in individuals with psychiatric disorders.

The influence of AI Anxiety and Neuroticism in Attitudes toward Artificial Intelligence

This paper examines the impact of AI anxiety and neuroticism on attitudes toward Artificial Intelligence (AI) through a quantitative approach. With the pervasive integration of AI technologies across diverse domains like social media platforms, smart devices, healthcare, and education, gaining insight into how individuals perceive and engage with AI becomes essential. A sample of 197 participants (32 males, and 165 females) completed surveys assessing their levels of AI anxiety, neuroticism, and attitudes toward AI. The data were collected via Google Forms using the following structured questionnaires: Artificial Intelligence Anxiety Scale (AIA), Artificial Intelligence Attitude Scale (AIAS-4), and Neuroticism Scale. The findings indicate significant negative correlations between AI anxiety (r=-.286, p<.01), neuroticism (r=-.196, p<.01), and attitudes toward AI, suggesting that individuals with higher levels of AI anxiety and neuroticism are inclined towards adopting more skeptical viewpoints regarding AI technologies. Moreover, the AI anxiety subscales (learning, r=-.152, p<.05; job replacement, r=-.257, p<.01; sociotechnical blindness, r=-.302, p<.01, and AI configuration, r=-.256, p<.01) also showed negative significant correlations with the attitudes toward AI. At the same time, neuroticism showed significant positive correlations with the composite score of AI anxiety (r=.301, p<.01) and all its subscales (learning, r=.219, p<.01; job replacement, r=.250, p<.01; sociotechnical blindness, r=.226, p<.01, and AI configuration, r=.277, p<.01). Understanding the role of AI anxiety and neuroticism in shaping attitudes toward AI can inform the development of strategies to mitigate negative perceptions and foster more positive attitudes toward AI technologies Keywords: artificial intelligence, anxiety, neuroticism, mediation

Neuroticism, loneliness, all-cause and cause-specific mortality: A 17-year study of nearly 500,000 individuals

BackgroundNeuroticism is related to mental and physical health. This study examined whether neuroticism and its underlying components were associated with risk of all-cause and cause-specific mortality. MethodsCommunity-dwelling adults (N = 491,323) in the UK Biobank completed a neuroticism scale between 2006 and 2010. Vital status was tracked up to December 2022 via linkage with the UK National Health Service. ResultsOver 17 years of follow-up, 43,400 (8.8 %) participants died. Accounting for age, sex, and ethnicity, participants who scored 1 SD higher on neuroticism had a 10 % greater risk of dying (HR = 1.10, 95%CI = 1.09–1.11), an association that remained significant but was explained partly by socioeconomic status, health behaviors, and chronic conditions. Item-level analyses found that loneliness was the neuroticism item most predictive of mortality (HR = 1.46, 95%CI = 1.43–1.49), especially in males. Neuroticism and loneliness were more predictive of mortality among relatively younger adults and those with lower education. Among the causes of death, neuroticism and loneliness had the strongest association with deaths due to intentional self-harm, respiratory and digestive system diseases. LimitationsLoneliness was assessed with a single item. The associations could be due to increases in neuroticism and loneliness approaching death. However, contrary to expectations from reverse causality, the associations were similar when excluding deaths within the first five or ten years of follow-up. Future research should examine whether findings from this high-income country replicate in middle- and lower-income communities. ConclusionsLoneliness was the component of neuroticism most strongly associated with premature mortality, including from intentional self-harm, respiratory, and digestive system causes of death.

Neuroticism and the Fear of Missing Out: Exploring Psychological Outcomes in Young Adults

The rapid evolution of digital media has significantly shaped communication patterns and social interactions, particularly among young adults. This study explores the correlation between neuroticism and the Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) among students at Universitas Kristen Satya Wacana, with a focus on understanding how these elements impact psychological health and social behaviors. Utilizing a quantitative correlational design, the research investigates how the personality trait of neuroticism predicts the extent of FoMO, a condition exacerbated by intense social media engagement. The sample comprised 158 active university students who engage in over three hours of social media usage daily. Data were collected via the Fear of Missing Out Scale and the Neuroticism Scale from the NEO-PI, administered through Google Forms. The findings reveal a significant positive correlation between neuroticism and FoMO (r = 0.704, p < 0.01), indicating that students with higher levels of neuroticism are more likely to experience FoMO. These results suggest that neuroticism may enhance sensitivity to social media cues, thereby increasing feelings of anxiety and the fear of being left out of rewarding social experiences. The study highlights the need for targeted psychological interventions and educational programs to mitigate the impacts of FoMO and promote healthier social media habits. This research contributes to the broader discourse on the psychological effects of digital technologies, emphasizing the importance of addressing underlying personality traits that predispose individuals to digital vulnerabilities.

Association Study of Serotonin 1A Receptor Gene, Personality, and Anxiety in Women with Alcohol Use Disorder.

Alcohol use disorder is considered a chronic and relapsing disorder affecting the central nervous system. The serotonergic system, mainly through its influence on the mesolimbic dopaminergic reward system, has been postulated to play a pivotal role in the underlying mechanism of alcohol dependence. The study aims to analyse the association of the rs6295 polymorphism of the 5HTR1A gene in women with alcohol use disorder and the association of personality traits with the development of alcohol dependence, as well as the interaction of the rs6295, personality traits, and anxiety with alcohol dependence in women. The study group consisted of 213 female volunteers: 101 with alcohol use disorder and 112 controls. NEO Five-Factor and State-Trait Anxiety Inventories were applied for psychometric testing. Genotyping of rs6295 was performed by real-time PCR. We did not observe significant differences in 5HTR1A rs6295 genotypes (p = 0.2709) or allele distribution (p = 0.4513). The AUD subjects scored higher on the anxiety trait (p < 0.0001) and anxiety state (p < 0.0001) scales, as well as on the neuroticism (p < 0.0001) and openness (p = 0134) scales. Significantly lower scores were obtained by the AUD subjects on the extraversion (p < 0.0001), agreeability (p < 0.0001), and conscientiousness (p < 0.0001) scales. Additionally, we observed a significant effect of 5HTR1A rs6295 genotype interaction and alcohol dependency, or lack thereof, on the openness scale (p = 0.0016). In summary, this study offers a comprehensive overview of alcohol dependence among women. It offers valuable insights into this complex topic, contributing to a more nuanced understanding of substance use among this specific demographic. Additionally, these findings may have implications for developing prevention and intervention strategies tailored to individual genetic and, most importantly, personality and anxiety differences.

Correlations of the CNR1 Gene with Personality Traits in Women with Alcohol Use Disorder.

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a significant issue affecting women, with severe consequences for society, the economy, and most importantly, health. Both personality and alcohol use disorders are phenotypically very complex, and elucidating their shared heritability is a challenge for medical genetics. Therefore, our study investigated the correlations between the microsatellite polymorphism (AAT)n of the Cannabinoid Receptor 1 (CNR1) gene and personality traits in women with AUD. The study group included 187 female subjects. Of these, 93 were diagnosed with alcohol use disorder, and 94 were controls. Repeat length polymorphism of microsatellite regions (AAT)n in the CNR1 gene was identified with PCR. All participants were assessed with the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview and completed the NEO Five-Factor and State-Trait Anxiety Inventories. In the group of AUD subjects, significantly fewer (AAT)n repeats were present when compared with controls (p = 0.0380). While comparing the alcohol use disorder subjects (AUD) and the controls, we observed significantly higher scores on the STAI trait (p < 0.00001) and state scales (p = 0.0001) and on the NEO Five-Factor Inventory Neuroticism (p < 0.00001) and Openness (p = 0.0237; insignificant after Bonferroni correction) scales. Significantly lower results were obtained on the NEO-FFI Extraversion (p = 0.00003), Agreeability (p < 0.00001) and Conscientiousness (p < 0.00001) scales by the AUD subjects when compared to controls. There was no statistically significant Pearson's linear correlation between the number of (AAT)n repeats in the CNR1 gene and the STAI and NEO Five-Factor Inventory scores in the group of AUD subjects. In contrast, Pearson's linear correlation analysis in controls showed a positive correlation between the number of the (AAT)n repeats and the STAI state scale (r = 0.184; p = 0.011; insignificant after Bonferroni correction) and a negative correlation with the NEO-FFI Openness scale (r = -0.241; p = 0.001). Interestingly, our study provided data on two separate complex issues, i.e., (1) the association of (AAT)n CNR1 repeats with the AUD in females; (2) the correlation of (AAT)n CNR1 repeats with anxiety as a state and Openness in non-alcohol dependent subjects. In conclusion, our study provided a plethora of valuable data for improving our understanding of alcohol use disorder and anxiety.

Teachers’ Perception on Personality Traits and Social skills Development of Persons with Disabilities

Persons with Disabilities have problem with the development of appropriate social skills. However, social skill is essential to initiate and maintain positive social relationship among all. Previous studies focused largely on enhancing other skills areas among persons with Disabilities while functional skills development is not well researched. This study therefore, investigated Teachers’ perspectives on personality traits and social skills development among persons with Disabilities in Ibadan. Bandura’s social learning theory formed the bases and framework for the study. Four schools were purposively selected for the study. Forty (40) persons with various fiorms of disabilities were the respondents. The instruments used were Pupils Social Development Checklist (r=0.80), Neuroticism Scale for Children (0.73) and Personality Inventory for Children (Extroversion) (0.73) Scales. Data were analyzed using the descriptive statistics of mean and standard deviations at 0.05 level of significance. There is a significant positive relationship between the social skills development of persons with disabilities and extraversion (r=.368, p (.019) &lt;.05), but there was no significant relationship between social skills development of persons with disabilities and neuroticism (r=-.141, p (.386)&gt;.05) respectively. It was therefore concluded that persons with disabilities are predisposed to display unacceptable social characteristics as a result of peculiar personality traits of an individual persons. It was therefore recommended that teachers and care givers of persons with disabilities should note and pay attention to the fact that most people behave the way they do simply because of their peculiar personality trait as there are significant impact of personality traits on social skills development.

Potential Relationship between Personality Traits with the Openness and Neuroticism Scores

The present research investigated the possible correlation between personality qualities, namely the scores on the Openness and Neuroticism dimensions, and the inclination to participate in creative pursuits. The existing body of research has shown a positive correlation between an individual's level of openness and their tendency towards creative pursuits. However, the potential moderating effect of the variable neuroticism on this link remains largely unexplored. In order to ascertain the similarity of openness scores, a correlation study was performed to examine the relationship between neuroticism scores and artistic inclination ratings. The research included a comprehensive 42-item questionnaire to assess the personality characteristics and creative tendencies of participants. Subsequently, the collected data were utilised to establish groups and conduct further association analyses. In the present study, we observed a slight positive connection between scores on the neuroticism scale and scores on the art-loving inclination scale among two distinct sample groups. These groups were categorised based on their openness scores, namely falling within the ranges of 25-36 and 37-48. This discovery offers novel perspectives on comprehending people' creative predispositions and their correlation with personality features, potentially furnishing educators and mental health practitioners with significant insights.

The Influence of Genetic Polymorphic Variability of the Catechol-O-methyltransferase Gene in a Group of Patients with a Diagnosis of Behavioural Addiction, including Personality Traits.

Gambling Disorder (GD) is characterised by a harmful, enduring, and recurrent involvement in betting-related behaviours. Therefore, GD shares similar biological mechanisms and symptoms to substance use disorders (SUD). Therefore, in this study, we chose the behavioural addictions group. During the examination and recruitment to the study, it turned out that all the people undergoing treatment for gambling addiction were also addicted to amphetamines, which is consistent with the biological mechanism related to cerebral neurotransmission. The aim of the study was to investigate the association of the COMT gene polymorphism with behavioral addiction. The study group consisted of 307 participants: 107 men with gambling disorder and amphetamine dependency (mean age = 27.51, SD = 5.25) and 200 non-addicted, nor dependent, free from neuro-psychiatric disorders control group men (mean age = 20.20, SD = 4.51). Both groups were subjected to psychometric evaluation using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and the NEO Five-Factor Personality Inventory. Genomic DNA was extracted from venous blood following standard protocols. Determination of the rs4680 polymorphism in the COMT gene was performed using the real-time PCR technique. Statistically significant differences in the frequency of rs4680 genotypes were found in the tested sample of subjects compared with the control group (p = 0.03543). Subjects with gambling disorder and amphetamine use disorder compared to the control group obtained higher scores in the assessment of the STAI trait scale (p = 0.0019), state scale (p < 0.0000), and NEO-FFI Neuroticism scale (p < 0.0000). Significantly lower results were obtained for the NEO-FFI Agreeability scale (p < 0.0000). Additionally, a significant statistical impact of gambling disorder and amphetamine use disorder, and the COMT rs4680 genotype was demonstrated for the score of the STAI trait (p = 0.0351) and state (p = 0.0343) and the NEO-FFI Conscientiousness scale (p = 0.0018). We conclude that COMT and its polymorphic variant influence the development of addiction. Still, considering its multifactorial and polygenic nature, it should be combined with other factors such as personality.

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.

The Relationship between the Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Gene Polymorphism (Val66Met) and Substance Use Disorder and Relapse.

Substance addiction is a neuropsychiatric disorder characterized by a recurring desire to continue using a substance despite harmful consequences. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a protein that plays a role in the activity-dependent remodeling of neural function in adult nervous systems. This study analyzed the association of the rs6265 polymorphism of the BDNF gene in a group of patients addicted to psychoactive substances who were participating in addiction treatment for the first time, in a group of post-relapse psychoactive substance abusers and in a control group. The study also assessed personality and anxiety in all study groups. Statistically significant differences in the frequency of genotypes and alleles were found between all study groups. Compared to the control, both study groups had statistically significantly higher scores for trait and state anxiety. Addicted patients in both groups also had higher scores on the Neuroticism and Openness scales and lower scores on the Extraversion and Agreeableness scales. The results of this study provide further evidence that personality traits, anxiety and the rs6265 polymorphism of the BDNF gene may be risk factors for susceptibility to addiction to psychoactive substances. In addition, they can be a predictor of addiction relapse, but further extensive studies are required to confirm these findings.

Analysis of the Methylation Level of the DAT1 Dopamine Transporter Gene in Patients Addicted to Stimulants, Taking into Account an Analysis of Personality Traits.

Drug addiction is a chronic biochemical drug use disorder that affects the human brain and behavior and leads to the uncontrolled use of legal or illicit drugs. It has been shown that three factors are involved in the development of addiction: genetic factors, a diverse environment, and the effect of medication on gene expression. The comprehensive approach and holistic analysis of the problem are due to the multigenic and multifactorial nature of addiction. Dopamine, one of the major neurotransmitters in the brain, is believed to be the "culprit" that leads to a drug abuse-induced "high". That is why, in our research, we focused mainly on the genes related to dopaminergic reuptake. In the present study, we chose methylation of the DAT1 dopamine transporter gene based on molecular reasons related to the dopaminergic theory of addiction. This study included two groups: 226 stimulant-dependent and 290 non-stimulant-dependent subjects. The analysis consisted of a case-control comparison of people addicted to psychostimulants compared to a control group of healthy and non-addicted people. There were differences in the levels of statistical significance between the groups. Our research shows lower methylation of islands 1, 9, and 14 in addicted people and greater methylation of islands 32 and 33. The difference in individual CpG methylation islands of the gene under study provides valuable information about the DNA methylation process in patients addicted to psychostimulants. Pearson's linear correlation analysis in stimulant dependence showed a negative correlation between total methylation island levels and the NEO-FFI Neuroticism scale. In subjects with neuroticism, the methylation level was statistically significantly lower. Pearson's linear correlation analysis of stimulant-dependent subjects showed a positive correlation between total methylation island levels and the NEO-FFI Openness scale and the NEO-FFI Conscientiousness scale.

Eysenck Personality Questionnaire – Revised Short Form Neuroticism Factors and Five-Factor Model Domains and Facets

Variance in the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire Revised Short Form’s (EPQ-RS) Neuroticism scale is divisible into a general factor (Neuroticism) and two special factors (Anxious-Tense and Worried-Vulnerable), and although all three factors are associated with poorer mental health, their associations with physical health differ: the general Neuroticism factor was associated with poorer health, the association between the Anxious-Tense factor and health was mixed, and the Worried-Vulnerable factor was associated with better health. One unanswered question is how these factors map onto the domains of the Five-Factor Model of personality, and these domains’ lower-order facets? I addressed this question by collecting data from 230 first year psychology undergraduates. These participants completed the 12-item EPQ-RS Neuroticism scale and the 30-item short form version of the Big Five Inventory-2 (BFI-2-S). The general Neuroticism factor was associated positively with higher Neuroticism and its facets of Anxiety, Depression, and Emotional volatility. This factor was also associated negatively with Extraversion and its facet Energy level, Agreeableness and its facet Trust, and with Conscientiousness. The Anxious-Tense factor was associated positively with Neuroticism and its facet Anxiety, and negatively with Extraversion and its facet Assertiveness. The Worried-Vulnerable factor was associated positively only with Neuroticism and its facet Anxiety. Future epidemiological studies should be cautious when interpreting the effects of Neuroticism when it is measured using the EPQ-RS and should seek to replicate the present findings in larger, representative samples, and with comprehensive measures of the Five-Factor Model, such as the NEO Inventories.

Stress, Sport Anxiety, Neuroticism, and Coping in Student-Athletes: Implications for Patient Mental Health.

Patients' mental health has been recognized as important in providing patient-centered care in athletic training. To evaluate stress, sport anxiety, neuroticism, and coping in student-athletes. Cross-sectional study. University athletics. The sample comprised 86 student-athletes competing in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III. The Perceived Stress Scale, Sport Anxiety Scale-2, neuroticism scale of the Big Five Inventory, and Brief COPE were used to measure stress, sport anxiety, neuroticism, and coping, respectively. Sport anxiety was positively related to stress (r = 0.446, P < .001) and neuroticism (r = 0.311, P < .01) and not related to emotion-focused coping (r = 0.270, P = .804). Neuroticism was a negative predictor of emotion-focused coping (b = -0.373, P < .001), and sport anxiety and stress were predictors of dysfunctional coping (b = 0.120, P < .05; b = 0.037, P < .05). Stress, sport anxiety, and neuroticism were not predictors of problem-focused coping. Support was evident for the relationship among stress, sport anxiety, neuroticism, and coping in NCAA Division III student-athletes. Such results warrant future exploration to inform behavioral interventions targeting student-athlete psychosocial factors to promote improved performance, reduce injury risk factors (eg, stress, personality, coping), and enhance student-athlete mental health and well-being.

Psychological characteristics of young men with Internet addiction: A cross-cultural study

Today’s youth actively use the Internet, which increases the risk of developing addiction, and thus raises the issue of investigating its factors to prevent the problem promptly and provide effective psychocorrection. The purpose of this study was to investigate the psychological predictors of Internet addiction among young people. The study was based on a comparative analysis of Ukrainian and Chinese samples. The Internet Addiction Test by K. Young was used to identify the formation of Internet addiction; the Big Five Personality Inventory NEO-FFI and the Beck Depression Inventory were used to diagnose psychological characteristics; respondents were also offered a questionnaire that included questions about demographic data and current situation. It was found that in the Ukrainian sample, 36.3% of respondents have a moderate or severe degree of Internet addiction, while in the Chinese sample, this share is 31.3%. Differences in personal predictors of Internet addiction have been found: the level of Internet addiction among Ukrainian youth is positively correlated with depression, neuroticism, and the impact of war, while it is inversely related to extraversion and conscientiousness. In the group of Chinese youth, only the neuroticism scale correlates with Internet addiction. The comparison showed that the level of depression among young people with Internet addiction in both countries is significantly higher than among young people without signs of addiction. There are significant differences between respondents in Ukraine and China on the scales of neuroticism, conscientiousness, extraversion, and most notably, openness. It was found that Ukrainian youth are characterised by higher levels of neuroticism and openness and lower levels of extraversion and conscientiousness compared to Chinese youth; no differences were found in terms of Internet addiction and depression. The study established that the common factor of Internet addiction among young people in both countries is depression; cultural differences and environmental factors lead to the fact that the predictors of addiction are different personality traits of young people. The practical significance of the study is that its results provide a better insight into the goals of influence in planning the prevention and psychocorrection of youth Internet addiction.

School Bullying and Personality Traits from Elementary School to University

This retrospective study examines involvement in school bullying at all developmental stages, from elementary school to university, in relation to personality traits. Participants were 216 university students, 162 (75.0%) females and 54 (25.0%) males. The majority of the sample (88.9%) aged 18–24. Students completed the International Personality Items Pool (BFFM) and a self-report questionnaire about school bullying online. The results show that the involvement roles in personality trait A3 (don’t insult) of the Agreeableness (A) scale differ significantly at all educational levels. However, trait E6 Extraversion (E) and the Conscientiousness (C) scale differ at the elementary school level, and trait N6 of the Neuroticism (N) scale varies at the middle school and N3 differs at the high school. All participants differ statistically significantly in A3, Conscientiousness scale at all educational levels. Those involved differ statistically significantly in the traits Neuroticism, C8, and C9 and in two traits of Openness (O). Throughout the course of schooling, victims showed a higher score on the Conscientiousness scale than the bullies/victims. The victims who became the bullies (victims/bullies) had a higher score on the Emotional Stability scale than the bullies who became victims (bullies/victims). About half of the participants said that the experience affected them positively and the other half negatively. Those who answered that it had a positive impact on them showed a statistically significant difference in characteristics E7 (talkativeness) and N10 (pleasant mood). The findings help inform a new perspective of anti-bullying intervention that targets personality traits in all the roles and their rotation.

Examination of Differences in Pre-Competition Anxiety and Big Five Personality Traits in Esport Players and Athletes

The primary aim of the paper is to conduct research on the personality traits and pre-competition anxiety of Esports and sports players, in addition to confirming differences in personality and pre-competition anxiety between the two examined groups. The research has been conducted on 67 (N=67) subjects, 30 of whom are semi-professional or professional gamers who participate in state-level and regional-level competitions. The remaining 37 subjects are the highest-ranked athletes in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The t-test, a type of inferential statistic, has been used to determine statistical differences in disposition between the arithmetic means of the two groups, using BFI-44 (α=0.78) and CSAI-2 (α=0.60) measuring instruments. It has been anticipated that the Esports players are ranked lower at Extraversion (E) and Agreeableness (A) levels, while their Neuroticism (N) level is higher compared to the results of the athletes. The research indicates that all of the three hypotheses regarding the Big Five Model have been confirmed – on the scale of Extraversion (E) with significance levels of p=0.000 (p&lt;0.0001); on the scale of Agreeableness (A) with significance levels of p=0.002 (p&lt;0.01); on the scale of Neuroticism (N) with significance levels of p=0.042 (p&lt;0.05). Furthermore, the fourth and fifth research hypotheses, proposing there is a statistically significant difference in cognitive and somatic anxiety (CSAI-2) in Esports players and athletes, were not confirmed. The sixth research hypothesis was confirmed, showing that there is a statistically significant difference between Esports players and athletes on the self-confidence dimension (CSAI-2) with p=0.030 (p&lt;0.05). Results gathered on this sample could serve as an important part of understanding the differences between Esports players and athletes.

MULTI-VOXEL PATTERN ANALYSIS OF fMRI DATA DURING SELF- AND OTHER-REFERENTIAL PROCESSING

The study of brain activity in the processing of self-referential information, as compared to the processing of information related to other people, is based on the application of mass-univariate analysis, based on the assumption that activity in one region is independent of activity in other regions. Recently, there has been a growing interest in neuroimaging to investigate spatially distributed information using multivariate approaches such as multivoxel pattern analysis (MVPA). In this paper, we used MVPA to analyze fMRI data recorded during self-evaluation and evaluation of other people of varying proximity. In all pairwise classifications tested, the number of correct identifications was significantly higher than the level of random matches. Predictively significant structures were widely distributed over different brain regions and included areas of the visual, lateral prefrontal, and many other cortical areas in addition to the cortical midline structures that contributed the most. In the self-other classification, ventral areas of the medial prefrontal and cingulate cortex were the most informative for the self condition, whereas parietal and occipital medial areas were the most informative for the other condition. The combination of brain structures, which included the anterior cingulate cortex and both amygdalae, revealed by principal component analysis, correlated positively with the psychometric scale of sensitivity to reward, and negatively with neuroticism scales. Overall, the results show the fruitfulness of using machine learning methods to analyze data from such kinds of experiments.

Area disadvantage and mental health over the life course: a 69-year prospective birth cohort study

PurposeExisting evidence on the mental health consequences of disadvantaged areas uses cross-sectional or longitudinal studies with short observation periods. The objective of this research was to investigate this association over a 69-year period.MethodsData were obtained from the MRC National Survey of Health and Development (NSHD; the British 1946 birth cohort), which consisted of 2125 participants at 69 years. We assessed longitudinal associations between area disadvantage and mental health symptoms at adolescence and adulthood with use of multilevel modelling framework.ResultsAfter adjustment for father’s social class, for each one percentage increase in area disadvantage at age 4, there was a 0.02 (95% CI 0.001, 0.04) mean increase in the total score of the neuroticism scale at age 13–15. After adjustment for father’s social class, adult socio-economic position, cognitive ability and educational attainment, a one percentage increase in change score of area disadvantage between age 4 and 26 was associated with a mean increase in the total Psychiatric Symptom Frequency score (MD 0.06; 95% CI 0.007, 0.11). Similar associations were observed with change scores between ages 4, 53, 60 and total General Health Questionnaire-28 score at age 53 (MD 0.05; 95% CI 0.01, 0.11) and 60–64 (MD 0.06; 95% CI 0.009, 0.11).ConclusionsCohort members who experienced increasing area disadvantage from childhood were at increased risk of poor mental health over the life course. Population-wide interventions aiming at improving social and physical aspects of the early neighbourhood environment could reduce the socio-economic burden of poor mental health.

Relationship between emotional instability and risk of alcohol abuse among adolescents: the moderating role of predisposition to engage in risky behaviors

There is growing evidence that alcohol abuse among adolescents is a major public health concern. Understanding the risk factors associated with adolescent alcohol misuse is crucial for the development of prevention programs. Our study aimed to examine whether general attitudes toward health risk behaviors (i.e., predisposition to engage in risky behaviors) moderate the association between emotional instability (neuroticism as a stable personality factor) and adolescent alcohol abuse. A population-based sample of 688 Romanian adolescents completed several standardized instruments, including a measure of the current risk of alcohol abuse, the Neuroticism scale from the Big Five Inventory, and a subscale (Health/Safety) from the Risk Behaviors Scale [71]. The risk of alcohol abuse was positively associated with both emotional instability (n = 673; r = 0.345; p &lt; 0.001) and predisposition to engage in risky behaviors (n = 688; r = 0.424; p &lt; 0.001). A positive relationship was also found between emotional instability and the predisposition to engage in risky behaviors (n = 673; r = 0.129; p = 0.001). Hierarchical linear multiple regression analysis provided support for the moderation relationship. In summary, the predisposition to engage in risky behaviors may act as an amplifying factor by increasing the risk associated with emotional instability. Some practical implications for preventive interventions are discussed.