Big Five personality and depression diagnosis, severity and age of onset in older adults

Personality traits as predictors of depression across the lifespan

BACKGROUND

Depression is a major public health concern. A barrier for research has been the heterogeneous nature of depression, complicated by the categorical diagnosis of depression which is based on a cluster of symptoms, each with its own etiology. To address the multifactorial etiology of depression and its high comorbidity with anxiety, we aimed to examine the relations between personality traits, diverse behavioral, cognitive and physical measures, and depression and anxiety over the lifespan.

METHOD

Our sample was drawn from the NKI-RS, a community-based lifespan sample (N = 1494 participants aged 6 to 85). Analyses included multivariate approach and general linear models for group comparisons and dimensional analyses, respectively. A machine learning model was trained to predict depression using many factors including personality traits.

RESULTS

Depression and anxiety were both characterized by increased neuroticism and introversion, but did not differ between themselves. Comorbidity had an additive effect on personality vulnerability. Dimensionally, depression was only associated with personality in adolescence, where it was positively correlated with neuroticism, and negatively correlated with extraversion, agreeableness, and conscientiousness. The relationship between anxiety and personality changed over time, with neuroticism and conscientiousness being the most salient traits. Our machine learning model predicted depression with 70 % accuracy with neuroticism and extraversion contributing most.

LIMITATIONS

Due to the cross-sectional design, conclusions cannot be drawn about causal relationships between personality and depression.

CONCLUSION

These results underscore the impact of personality on depressive disorders and provide novel insights on how personality contributes to depression across the lifespan.

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

BACKGROUND

The 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.

METHODS

From 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.

RESULTS

The 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.

CONCLUSIONS

More 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.

Personality traits and depressive symptoms among Chinese older people: A network approach

BACKGROUND

The present study aims to investigate the network structure of depressive symptoms, the interrelationships between individual personality traits and depressive symptoms, and gender differences among Chinese older people aged 60 and above.

METHOD

We performed network analyses with a regularized Graphical Gaussian Model and a case-dropping bootstrap approach. A sample of 4876 older Chinese people aged 60+ was included in the analyses. We investigated the central symptoms in the depression network and the bridge nodes that connect personality facets and depressive symptoms. Gender differences were investigated by testing the global strength, network invariance, and edge weights.

RESULTS

Sadness and depressed mood were the most central depressive symptoms, while somatic symptoms such as restless sleep were the least central. Neurotic facets, particularly "worry a lot" and "get nervous easily", played significant bridging roles in the web of personality traits and depressive symptoms. Gender differences were observed in three edges among different personality traits (rude-worried, original-worried, and forgiving-nervous).

LIMITATION

The study adopts a cross-sectional dataset, and therefore, cannot track the network changes over time or conclude a causal relationship.

DISCUSSION

The study calls for more focus and prioritization on sadness, depressed mood and neurotic traits in the identification of depression among older Chinese people. Future researchers and practitioners should better understand of older Chinese adults' worry and nervousness to develop appropriate practices and policies.

Subcortical neural mechanisms of childhood trauma impacts on personality traits

This study aims to explore the relationships between childhood trauma (CT), personality traits, and subcortical structures. 171 healthy individuals completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), the Neuroticism-Extraversion-Openness Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI), and underwent 3D T1-weighted MRI scans. Linear regression analyses indicated the complex relationship between CT, personality traits, and subcortical gray matter volume (GMV). Mediation analyses revealed that the right hippocampal GMV partially mediated the effects of CT on neuroticism. These findings suggest that CT affects the development of the Big Five personality traits, and alterations in subcortical structures are closely related to this process. Altered GMV in the right hippocampus may be a key neural mechanism for CT-induced neuroticism.

Therapy matchmaking: Patient-therapist match in personality traits and attachment style

OBJECTIVE

This study examined the relationships between patient-therapist similarity and therapy outcome. We aimed to explore whether patient-therapist match in personality and attachment styles leads to a better therapy outcome.

METHOD

We collected data from 77 patient-therapist dyads in short-term dynamic therapy. Patients' and therapists' personality traits (Big-5 Inventory) and attachment styles (ECR) were assessed prior to beginning therapy. Outcome was measured on the OQ-45.

RESULTS

When patients and therapists scored either high or low on neuroticism and conscientiousness we found a decrease in symptoms from beginning to end of therapy. When patients' and therapists' combined scores were either high or low on attachment anxiety, we found an increase in symptoms.

CONCLUSION

Match or mismatch on personality and attachment style in therapy dyads contributes to therapy outcome.

The influence of big five personality traits on anxiety: The chain mediating effect of general self-efficacy and academic burnout

BACKGROUND

As an important factor affecting personal health, anxiety has always been valued by people. Prior research has consistently shown that personality traits is associated with anxiety level,but little is known about the inner mechanism of this relationship. To fill the gap, the present research aims to explore the chain mediating role of general self-efficacy and academic burnout in the relationship between big five personality and anxiety.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study was performed from September to November 2022. Self-reported questionnaires including the Big Five Personality Questionnaire, General Self-Efficacy Scale, College Student's academic burnout Scale, Generalized Anxiety Scale and demographic characteristics were distributed to 2505 college students in a university in Hebei Province, of which 2,471 were valid. Statistical analysis was carried out through SPSS26.0 and SPSS PROCESS macro.

RESULTS

Results showed four of the big five personality characters (i.e., extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness) were negatively correlated with anxiety. Neuroticism was positively correlated with anxiety. Moreover, general self-efficacy was found to be negatively correlated with academic burnout and anxiety; academic burnout was positively correlated with anxiety. Finally, general self-efficacy and academic burnout mediated the relationship between personality traits (i.e., extraversion, agreeableness, neuroticism, openness) and anxiety.

CONCLUSIONS

Personality traits (i.e., extraversion, agreeableness, neuroticism, and openness) could influence anxiety through the chain mediating effects of general self-efficacy and academic burnout. Interventions focusing on anxiety reduction may be successful in increasing general self-efficacy and decreasing students' academic burnout.

Which variables moderate the relationship between depressive symptoms and global neurocognition across adulthood?

The current study examined moderators of the relationship between depressive symptoms and global neurocognition in a large non-clinical community-dwelling sample spanning adulthood. Participants comprised 5,430 individuals between the ages of 18-99 years drawn from the Virginia Cognitive Aging Project. Depressive symptoms were measured via the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression scale and neurocognition was operationalized as a composite variable comprising episodic memory, spatial visualization, processing speed, and reasoning tasks. Moderator variables included physical activity, cognitive activity, education, emotional stability, and openness. Hierarchical regressions were used to examine the influence of depressive symptoms and the moderators on neurocognition. Depressive symptoms significantly predicted neurocognition. Cognitive activity, years of education, and emotional stability moderated the depression-neurocognition relationship by buffering the impact of depressive symptoms on neurocognition. Cognitive activity engagement and level of education may function as a protective influence on those with higher levels of depressive symptoms, while emotional stability may be protective for individuals with lower levels of depressive symptoms. No differences in moderation were found across three age groups representing younger, middle, and older adults. Post-hoc analyses showed years of education and openness as moderators in a subsample excluding individuals with potentially clinically meaningful levels of depressive symptoms.

Early childhood SARS experience leads to long-lasting impacts on adulthood mental health in China

The association between pandemic experience and immediate mental health risks, such as depression, is well-documented, yet the long-term effects remain unclear. This study examines the impact of early childhood exposure to the 2003 SARS pandemic on adulthood mental health after 17 years in China, using data from the 2020 China Family Panel Studies (CFPS). The analysis included 6289 participants, aged 3 to 30 years during the SARS outbreak, with an average age of 35.3 years at the time of survey. Adulthood mental health was assessed using Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CESD) and an indicator of clinical depression. The severity of local SARS outbreaks was assessed by cumulative cases per 10,000 population. Results show that each additional case per 10,000 population was linked to a 1.617-fold (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.425-1.836) increase in odds of depression after 17 years for younger children (aged 3-12 years in 2003) relative to older cohorts (aged 13-30). This risk was higher in children from rural areas (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 3.64; 95% CI 2.92-4.55), with poor physical health (1.98; 1.59-2.48), and from low-income families (2.87; 2.03-4.05). The childhood pandemic experience elevated the probability of developing depression-prone personality traits, which contributes to the enduring impact of childhood pandemic experiences on adulthood mental health. These findings highlight the long-lasting psychological impact of early-childhood pandemic exposure, underscoring the need for targeted interventions to mitigate its effects on the younger generation and emphasizing the importance of monitoring long-term mental health and personality development in children post-pandemics, particularly in light of COVID-19.

Association Between Personality Traits and Functional Limitations in Older Adults with Affective Disorders: A Cross Sectional Study

OBJECTIVES

Personality traits and affective disorders are both related to functional limitations. It is unknown whether personality traits have an additional effect on functioning in older adults with affective disorders. We studied the association between personality traits and functioning within this group.

METHODS

We performed a cross-sectional study of 180 older patients referred to outpatient specialized geriatric mental health care centers with a depressive, anxiety and/or somatic symptom disorder according to DSM-criteria. We studied the association between the Big Five personality traits and functional limitations assessed with the WHO-DAS II, adjusting for potential confounders, including the severity of various affective disorders.

RESULTS

The 180 patients (57.1% female, mean age 69.2 years) had an average WHO-DAS II score of 31.3 (SD 15.1). Lower scores on Conscientiousness were associated with more overall functional limitations (p = .001), particularly limitations in self-care (p = .001) and household activities (p = .001). Lower Extraversion scores were associated with more limitations in getting along with others (p = .001).

CONCLUSIONS

Personality traits are related to functional limitations independent of the severity of affective disorders in older adults.

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

Personality traits may be used as predictive factors for functioning in older adults with affective disorders.

Nutritional Status and Poverty Condition Are Associated with Depression in Preschoolers

Consensus has been reached that symptoms of depression can begin as early as preschool. Nevertheless, only few studies have associated environmental (malnutrition) and social factors (poverty condition, access to health systems, etc.) to the onset of depression in preschoolers. The aim of this study was to explore possible associations between malnutrition (underweight, overweight/obesity), poverty status (home quality, overcrowding), access to healthcare systems and the presence of depressive symptoms in the preschoolers of a semi-rural community. In total, 695 children between 3 and 6 years from the municipality of Chiconcuac, Mexico were evaluated for symptoms of depression with the Preschool Depression Scale for Teachers (ESDM 3-6). Additionally, they were assessed for nutritional status and divided into three groups (low weight, normal weight, overweight/obesity), and their parents were asked to fill out a social demographic questionnaire. Malnutrition status OR = 2.702, 95% CI [1.771-4.145]; UW OR = 4.768, 95% CI [2.570-8.795] and OW/OB OR = 1.959, 95% CI [1.175-3.324]; poverty condition per se OR = 1.779, 95% CI [0.9911-2.630]; housing quality OR = 2.020, 95% CI [0.9606-2.659] and overcrowding = 1.619, 95% CI [0.8989-4.433] were associated to a greater risk for children to show depressive symptoms (DS). Access to healthcare was negatively related with the risk of presenting DS (OR = 0.660, 95% CI [0.3130 to 1.360]). Social and environmental factors such as malnutrition, home quality and overcrowding may increase the risk of presenting DS as soon as in preschool.

Effect of psychotherapy for adult depression on self-esteem: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

There is emerging evidence to suggest that Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for depression may have a secondary effect on self-esteem, but less is known about non-CBT based interventions. To examine this, we had two main aims; (1) to meta-analyze psychotherapy effects on (i) depression and (ii) self-esteem, and (2) to investigate the relationship between reductions in depression symptoms and improvements in self-esteem.

DESIGN

A systematic review and meta-analysis.

METHODS

Following the PRISMA guidelines, we conducted a meta-analysis of randomized control trials of psychotherapy for adult depression, which included a self-esteem outcome at post-treatment. Nineteen studies with a total of 3423 participants met the inclusion criteria. For each comparison between psychotherapy and a control condition, we calculated Hedges' g both for depression and self-esteem and pooled them in two separate meta-analyses. Furthermore, meta-regression was used to explore the association between the effect of psychotherapy for depression and its effect on self-esteem.

RESULTS

The effects on depression were large and significant (Hedges' g = -0.95; [95 % CI: -1.27, -0.63]). We found evidence of smaller, albeit still moderate, effects on self-esteem (Hedges'g = 0.63; [95 % CI:0.32, 0.93]), with sustained effects at 6-12 months (Hedges'g = 0.70; [95 % CI: -0.03, 1.43]). We also found a strong inverse association between the effects of psychotherapy for depression and self-esteem (β = -0.60, p < 0.001).

LIMITATIONS

Heterogeneity was very high (I² = 97 %), and out of 19 trials, only 6 trials were rated as having a low risk of bias.

CONCLUSIONS

The results suggest that psychotherapy for depression may improve self-esteem to a moderate degree.

Personality traits among major depressive disorder in southern Thailand: a hospital-based case-control study

BACKGROUND

Residual depression can cause functional impairment. This study aimed to assess personality traits among individuals with depression, to compare the results with personality traits found in outpatients without psychiatric disorders recruited from general practitioner settings, and to study the association between personality traits and the age-onset of depression, duration of treatment, and the presence of depressive residual symptoms.

METHODS

A case-control study surveyed Thai individuals with depression and outpatients without psychiatric disorders recruited from general practitioner settings at an outpatient clinic of Songklanagarind hospital, in 2022. The questionnaires were: (1) demographic data, (2) the PHQ-9 Thai version, and (3) the International Personality Item Pool-NEO (IPIP-NEO) Thai version. The difference between personality traits and the assigned clinical group were analyzed using the Student's t-test and the Wilcoxon rank sum test. A generalized linear model was performed to examine differences of personality traits between the assigned clinical group (case-control), and the presence of depressive residual symptoms. The association between personality traits and treatment profiles was assessed by using an analysis of the variance test and the Kruskal-Wallis test.

RESULTS

In regards to 73 individuals with depression in the case group, and 73 gender-and age-matched outpatients without psychiatric disorders recruited from general practitioner settings in the control group; 78.1% of cases and 82.2% of controls were female. Thirty-eight (52.1%) cases had depressive residual symptoms. Regarding the IPIP-NEO Thai version, there was a statistically significant difference in Neuroticism, Extraversion, and Conscientiousness domains between the case and the control groups. In comparison to the control group, the case group scored higher on the Neuroticism domain, and lower on the Extraversion and Conscientiousness domains. Every 0.18-point reduction in the Neuroticism score and every 0.09-point increment in regards to the Openness score were associated with a 1-year increment of age-onset of depression. This study found an association between a higher score of Neuroticism and a lower score of Conscientiousness with the presence of depressive residual symptoms.

CONCLUSION

Different personality profiles were found between individuals with depression and outpatients without psychiatric disorders recruited from general practitioner settings. Individuals with depressive residual symptoms featured a higher score of Neuroticism and a lower score of Conscientiousness. A higher score of Neuroticism and a lower score of Openness were associated with age-onset of depression, but no personality traits were associated with treatment duration.

Role of personality traits in determining the association between social participation and mental health: A cross-sectional study in Japan

The role of personality in determining the association between social participation and mental health was examined by a cross-sectional study. We analyzed data from 4981 older adults aged 65-84 years who were recruited via a mail survey in one region of Japan. We defined poor mental health using a score ≤12 points on the World Health Organization-Five Well-Being Index-Japanese. Personality traits were measured by 10 Item Personality Inventory-Japanese. In women, higher openness positively moderated the association between private group participation (volunteering, sports, hobby, and learning) and mental health, while higher neuroticism negatively moderated it. This study contributes to knowledge about mental health, personality, and participation. The findings provide provisional evidence about recommending private group participation for women with high openness but not those with high neuroticism.

Individual- and Connectivity-Based Real-Time fMRI Neurofeedback to Modulate Emotion-Related Brain Responses in Patients with Depression: A Pilot Study

INTRODUCTION

Individual real-time functional magnetic resonance imaging neurofeedback (rtfMRI NF) might be a promising adjuvant in treating depressive symptoms. Further studies showed functional variations and connectivity-related changes in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) and the insular cortex.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this pilot study was to investigate whether individualized connectivity-based rtfMRI NF training can improve symptoms in depressed patients as an adjunct to a psychotherapeutic programme. The novel strategy chosen for this was to increase connectivity between individualized regions of interest, namely the insula and the dlPFC.

METHODS

Sixteen patients diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD, ICD-10) and 19 matched healthy controls (HC) participated in a rtfMRI NF training consisting of two sessions with three runs each, within an interval of one week. RtfMRI NF was applied during a sequence of negative emotional pictures to modulate the connectivity between the dlPFC and the insula. The MDD REAL group was divided into a Responder and a Non-Responder group. Patients with an increased connectivity during the second NF session or during both the first and the second NF session were identified as "MDD REAL Responder" (N = 6). Patients that did not show any increase in connectivity and/or a decreased connectivity were identified as "MDD REAL Non-Responder" (N = 7).

RESULTS

Before the rtfMRI sessions, patients with MDD showed higher neural activation levels in ventromedial PFC and the insula than HC; by contrast, HC revealed increased hemodynamic activity in visual processing areas (primary visual cortex and visual association cortex) compared to patients with MDD. The comparison of hemodynamic responses during the first compared to during the last NF session demonstrated significantly increased BOLD-activation in the medial orbitofrontal cortex (mOFC) in patients and HC, and additionally in the lateral OFC in patients with MDD. These findings were particularly due to the MDD Responder group, as the MDD Non-Responder group showed no increase in this region during the last NF run. There was a decrease of neural activation in emotional processing brain regions in both groups in the last NF run compared to the first: HC showed differences in the insula, parahippocampal gyrus, basal ganglia, and cingulate gyrus. Patients with MDD demonstrated deceased responses in the parahippocampal gyrus. There was no significant reduction of BDI scores after NF training in patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Increased neural activation in the insula and vmPFC in MDD suggests an increased emotional reaction in patients with MDD. The activation of the mOFC could be associated with improved control-strategies and association-learning processes. The increased lOFC activation could indicate a stronger sensitivity to failed NF attempts in MDD. A stronger involvement of visual processing areas in HC may indicate better adaptation to negative emotional stimuli after repeated presentation. Overall, the rtfMRI NF had an impact on neurobiological mechanisms, but not on psychometric measures in patients with MDD.

Big Five Personality Traits and Predicting Mental Health among Iranian Older Adults

Aging has been a major issue for experts, policymakers, and even the general public in recent years. There is a growing body of evidence highlighting the role of personality traits in the health of older adults, but this evidence is still in its infancy. This study aimed to investigate the role of the big five personality traits in predicting the mental health among older adults. In this cross-sectional study, 150 community-residing older adults were selected and completed the Ten Item Personality Inventory, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, Adult Hope Scale, and Short-Form Health Survey. According to the results, extraversion and openness to experience can explain 11% of the variances of hope, extraversion and conscientiousness account for 16% of the variances in perceived social support, and all the big five personality traits together predict 34% of the variances in the health-related quality of life. Given the role of personality traits in predicting the mental health of older adults, counselors and psychologists working with these people can pay attention to the personality traits of older adults in designing their psychological, educational, and research programs to achieve more desirable outcomes.

Exploring Depression among the Elderly during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Effects of the Big Five, Media Use, and Perceived Social Support

The mental health of the elderly is vulnerable during public health emergencies, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, and the risks of depression is increased. The study aimed to explore the effects of physical health, the Big Five personality traits, media use, and different kinds of perceived social support as predictors of levels of depression among the elderly during the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in more than 120 cities in China with a sample of 1147 older adults, and hierarchical regression was established to examine the predictors of the level of depression. The results showed that almost half of the elderly (48%) had a status of mild or much more severe depression during the COVID-19 pandemic. The level of depression was negatively associated with physical health, extraversion, conscientiousness, agreeableness, and family support, while it was positively associated with neuroticism and media use. The study emphasized the effects of physical health, the Big Five personality traits, media use, and perceived social support from family as the predictors of levels of depression, providing further measures to help the elderly better react to a public health emergency.

Big Five Personality Traits, Social Networks, and Depression Among Older Adults in Japan: A Multiple Mediation Analysis

This study examines the mediating effect of social network size on depression among older adults in Japan in association with the Big Five personality traits: extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism, and openness. Cross-sectional data were obtained from 739 older adults (Mean age = 75.13, SD = 6.86) residing in Tokyo. Multiple mediation analyses estimated total, indirect, and direct effects between personality and depression. Extraversion was associated with the number of kin and friend networks and agreeableness with the number of kin networks. Moreover, these social networks partially mediated the effects of extraversion and agreeableness on depression. The findings show that personality traits such as extraversion and agreeableness are associated with social network size, which contributes to better mental health in old age.

The Big Five Personality Traits and Positive Orientation in Polish Adults with Multiple Sclerosis: The Role of Meaning in Life

Scientific achievements concerning the direct relation between personality traits and positive orientation among patients with multiple sclerosis do not explain the role of potential mediators. In fact, some researchers argue that the traits–positivity association is much more complex than it seems to be. For this reason, we made an attempt to analyze the indirect relationship between the above-mentioned variables, including meaning in life as a mediator. In total, 618 patients with MS took part in the study. The NEO Five-Factor Inventory, the Positive Orientation Scale, and the Meaning in Life Questionnaire were used. The results showed that positive orientation/the presence of meaning/searching for meaning correlated positively with extraversion, openness to experience, agreeableness, and conscientiousness, and were negatively associated with neuroticism. Moreover, meaning in life in both its dimensions acted as a mediator in 9 of 10 models. It can be assumed that a propensity to establish interpersonal relationships (extraversion), use active imagination (openness), inspire confidence among others (agreeableness), and take responsibility (conscientiousness) can have an impact on someone’s positive attitude toward oneself and the surrounding world (positive orientation) when people have meaning in life and when they are seeking it.

Association of personality traits with polypharmacy among community-dwelling older adults in Japan: a cross-sectional analysis of data from the SONIC study

Background

Polypharmacy is a serious concern among older adults and is frequently related to adverse outcomes, including health problems, reduced quality of life, and increased medical expenses. Although personality traits are associated with health behaviors and diseases, the effect of polypharmacy on personality traits is unclear. Therefore, we examined the association of personality traits with polypharmacy among community-dwelling older adults.

Methods

This cross-sectional study analysed data on 836 community-dwelling older adults aged 69–71 years who participated in the Japanese longitudinal cohort study of Septuagenarians, Octogenarians, and Nonagenarians Investigation with Centenarians. Polypharmacy was defined as the intake of ≥ 5 medications concurrently. Personality traits were assessed using the Japanese version of the NEO-Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI). A five-factor model of personality traits, including “neuroticism,” “extraversion,” “openness,” “agreeableness,” and “conscientiousness,” was measured by the NEO-FFI.

Results

The average number of medications was about 3 in both men and women. Among the participants, polypharmacy was observed in 23.9% of men and 28.0% of women. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that neuroticism (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] per 1 point increase = 1.078, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.015–1.144) in men and extraversion (aOR = 0.932, 95% CI = 0.884–0.983) in women were associated with polypharmacy.

Conclusions

Higher neuroticism in men and lower extraversion in women were associated with polypharmacy. This study suggests that personality traits may be involved in the process leading to the development of polypharmacy. Information on individual personality traits may help medical professionals in decision-making regarding medication management for lifestyle-related diseases.

Longitudinal association between personality traits and homebound status in older adults: results from the National Health and Aging Trends Study

Background

Personality is associated with predictors of homebound status like frailty, incident falls, mobility, and depression. However, the relationship between personality traits and homebound status is unclear. This study aims to examine the longitudinal association between personality traits and homebound status among older adults.

Methods

Using data of non-homebound community-dwelling adults aged 65 years and older in the 2013 and 2014 waves (baseline) of the National Health and Aging Trends Study (N = 1538), this study examined the association between personality traits and homebound status. Homebound status (non-homebound, semi-homebound, and homebound) was determined by the frequency of going outside, difficulty in going outside, and whether there was help when going outside. Personality traits, including conscientiousness, extraversion, neuroticism, openness, and agreeableness were assessed using the 10-item Midlife Development Inventory on a rating scale from 1 (not at all) to 4 (a lot). Ordered logistic regression models were used to examine whether personality traits predicted homebound status in later 3 years with and without adjusting covariates.

Results

The sample was on average 77.0 ± 6.70 years old, and 55% were female. The majority were non-Hispanic whites (76%), and received some college or vocational school education or higher (55%). Homebound participants tended to be less educated older females. Three years later, 42 of 1538 baseline-non-homebound participants (3%) became homebound, and 195 participants (13%) became semi-homebound. Among these five personality traits, high conscientiousness (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 0.73, p < 0.01) was associated with a low likelihood of becoming homebound after adjusting demographic and health-related covariates.

Conclusions

These findings provided a basis for personality assessment to identify and prevent individuals from becoming homebound.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12877-022-02771-8.

The Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy in Primary Care and the Role of Depression Severity and Treatment Attendance

Objectives

Evidence suggests the efficacy of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) to prevent depression relapse and decrease depressive symptoms during the acute phase. However, the effectiveness of MBCT in real-world heterogeneous samples treated in clinical health settings, including primary care, has received little attention. This study had two aims: (1) to evaluate the effectiveness of MBCT delivered in primary care considering pre-treatment depression scores and (2) to explore the role of participants' characteristics on symptom improvement.

Methods

Data were obtained from 433 individuals who received MBCT. Participants completed the Personality Inventory for ICD-11 (PiCD) pretreatment and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) pre- and post-treatment.

Results

Sixty percent presented moderate-to-severe depression according to scores on the BDI-II, 18.1% presented mild depression, and 21.7% were in the non-depressed range. The severity of pre-treatment depressive symptoms was associated with outcomes. Most individuals who lacked depressive symptoms at baseline remained in the non-clinical range after the treatment. Those in the severe group benefited the most from the intervention, since 35.6% were considered recovered. Rates of deterioration ranged from 2.1 to 2.7%, depending on the depression-baseline scores. Depression severity at the entrance, attendance, and age, but not personality traits, appear to be related to symptom improvement.

Conclusions

According to our results, MBCT can be effectively and safely delivered in primary care.

The dyadic effects of personality traits on depression in advanced lung cancer patients and caregivers: The mediating role of acceptance of illness

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to explore the intrapersonal and interpersonal effects of three personality traits-neuroticism, extraversion and conscientiousness-on depression and examine whether acceptance of illness mediates the actor and partner effects in advanced lung cancer patients and caregivers using the Actor-Partner Interdependence Mediation Model (APIMeM).

METHODS

A total of 304 dyads of advanced lung cancer patients and caregivers were studied. Personality traits, acceptance of illness and depression were measured using 44-item Big Five Inventory, the Acceptance of Illness (AIS) scale and the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9).

RESULTS

The APIMeMs suggested that there were significant actor-actor effects of the three personality traits on depression through their own acceptance of illness. Additionally, significant actor-partner effects of neuroticism and extraversion on depression were also found. Specifically, patients' neuroticism was negatively related to their own acceptance of illness, which increased caregivers' depression, and caregivers' higher extraversion was related to their own higher acceptance of illness, which reduced patients' depression. Furthermore, a significant partner-actor effect was only found in the neuroticism model. Patients' neuroticism was negatively related to caregivers' acceptance of illness, which increased caregivers' depression.

CONCLUSION

The three personality traits had both interpersonal and intrapersonal effects on depression in advanced lung cancer patient-caregiver dyads, and acceptance of illness played an important mediating role in these relationships.

Attitude toward Aging Mediates the Relationship between Personality and Mental Health in Older Adults

This study aimed to examine attitude toward aging as a potential mediator of the relationship between personality factors and mental health in terms of depression and life satisfaction among older adults. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 438 Ethiopian elderly individuals aged 60 to 69. The results of the regression-based path analysis showed that after adjusting for demographic data, the relationship between agreeableness and depression in older adults was partially mediated by attitude toward aging. Likewise, attitude toward physical change due to aging and psychological growth subscales jointly mediated the correlation between neuroticism and depression. However, a significant direct path between neuroticism and depression persisted. On the contrary, openness had no significant direct association with depression apart from an indirect through psychosocial loss. The link between life satisfaction and agreeableness as well as openness to experience were partially mediated by psychosocial loss. Therefore, a person’s attitude toward aging and personality characteristics should be taken into consideration while designing interventions for managing mental health issues among older adults.

Within-Person Associations of Self-Reports of Memory Impairment and Depressive Symptoms in Older Adults: Moderation of Relationships Over Time by Personality

OBJECTIVES

The current study examined within-person associations of self-reports of impaired current memory functioning and perceived decline with depressive symptoms in older adults without cognitive impairment, and whether these associations were moderated by individuals' levels of neuroticism, conscientiousness, and extraversion.

METHODS

Samples were drawn from the Einstein Aging Study (EAS), Rush Memory and Aging Project (MAP), Minority Aging Research Study (MARS), Health and Retirement Study (HRS), and National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS), with over 8,000 participants (65+ years) included across datasets. In a series of coordinated analyses, multilevel linear models tested within-person relationships over periods of up to 22 years.

RESULTS

Across HRS and NHATS samples, self-reports of impaired current memory functioning covaried with depressive symptoms over time. This association was moderated by neuroticism, such that the association was stronger for individuals with higher levels of neuroticism. Across all samples, perceived memory decline covaried with depressive symptoms over time. This association was moderated by neuroticism in MAP/MARS, HRS, and NHATS, such that the association was stronger for individuals with higher levels of neuroticism.

DISCUSSION

Self-reports of impaired current memory functioning and perceived memory decline are important determinants of older adults' psychological well-being. In our results, at times when older adults perceive poorer memory functioning or decline, they also tend to report more depressive symptoms. Further, results from two larger datasets suggest that individuals' level of neuroticism may determine the extent to which self-reports of memory impairment and depressive symptoms covary over time.

The Relationship Between Maladaptive Personality and Social Role Impairment in Depressed Older Adults in Primary Care

Objective: Personality pathology is associated with impaired social functioning in adults, though further evidence is needed to examine the individual contributions of personality traits and processes to social functioning in depressed older adults. This study is a secondary analysis examining the relationship between maladaptive personality traits and processes and social role impairment in depressed older adults in primary care. Methods: Participants (N = 56) were 77% female and ranged in age between 55-89 (M = 66.82, SD = 8.75). Personality pathology was measured by maladaptive traits (NEO-FFI) and processes (Inventory of Interpersonal Problems; IIP-PD-15). Individual variable as well as combined predictive models of social role impairment were examined. Results: Higher neuroticism (β = 0.30, p < .05), lower agreeableness (β = -0.35 p < .001) and higher IIP-PD-15 (β = 0.28, p < .01) scores predicted greater impairment in social role functioning. A combined predictive model of neuroticism and IIP-PD-15 scores predicted unique variance in social role impairment (R² = .71). Conclusion: These results link select personality traits and interpersonal processes to social role impairment, suggesting that these are indicators of personality pathology in older adults. Clinical Implications: These findings lend preliminary support for clinical screening of personality pathology in depressed older adults utilizing both personality trait and process measures.

Risk Factors for Adult Depression: Adverse Childhood Experiences and Personality Functioning

Background: Depressive disorder is one of the main health problems worldwide. Many risk factors have been associated with this pathology. However, while the association between risks factors and adult depression is well established, the mechanisms behind its impact remains poorly understood. A possible, yet untested explanation is the mediating impact of levels of personality functioning, i.e., impairments with regard to self and interpersonal.

Method: Around 162 patients were assessed at the beginning of their therapy, with regard to risk factors, such as sociodemographic, physical, hereditary (Information Form), and adverse childhood experiences (ACE; CTQ). Depressive symptoms (Beck Depression Inventory, BDI) and personality functioning (OPD-SQ) were also measured. Associations between the related variables as well as other possible covariates were examined by means of zero-order correlations and bootstrapping-based mediation analysis.

Results: Of all the risk factors taken into account, level of education and physical illness were associated with depression. On the other hand, the most significant predictor of depressive symptomatology was ACE, and this relationship was mediated by personality functioning. This indicates that patients presenting adverse childhood experiences are more likely to develop deficiencies in personality functioning, which in turn increases their likelihood of developing depressive symptomatology.

Conclusion: These results reaffirm the importance of incorporating risk and vulnerability factors such as personality functioning in understanding depression.

Two-stage maximum likelihood approach for item-level missing data in regression

Psychologists use scales comprised of multiple items to measure underlying constructs. Missing data on such scales often occur at the item level, whereas the model of interest to the researcher is at the composite (scale score) level. Existing analytic approaches cannot easily accommodate item-level missing data when models involve composites. A very common practice in psychology is to average all available items to produce scale scores. This approach, referred to as available-case maximum likelihood (ACML), may produce biased parameter estimates. Another approach researchers use to deal with item-level missing data is scale-level full information maximum likelihood (SL-FIML), which treats the whole scale as missing if any item is missing. SL-FIML is inefficient and it may also exhibit bias. Multiple imputation (MI) produces the correct results using a simulation-based approach. We study a new analytic alternative for item-level missingness, called two-stage maximum likelihood (TSML; Savalei & Rhemtulla, Journal of Educational and Behavioral Statistics, 42(4), 405-431. 2017). The original work showed the method outperforming ACML and SL-FIML in structural equation models with parcels. The current simulation study examined the performance of ACML, SL-FIML, MI, and TSML in the context of univariate regression. We demonstrated performance issues encountered by ACML and SL-FIML when estimating regression coefficients, under both MCAR and MAR conditions. Aside from convergence issues with small sample sizes and high missingness, TSML performed similarly to MI in all conditions, showing negligible bias, high efficiency, and good coverage. This fast analytic approach is therefore recommended whenever it achieves convergence. R code and a Shiny app to perform TSML are provided.

Demographic and Psychosocial Variables Could Predict the Occurrence of Major Depressive Disorder, but Not the Severity of Depression in Patients with First-episode Major Depressive Disorder in China

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to investigate the association between psychosocial variables and depression severity among Chinese patients with first-episode major depressive disorder (MDD).

METHODS

This multicenter case-control study enrolled patients with first-episode MDD and healthy controls (HCs) from nine sites in China. Depressive symptoms, clinical features, and psychosocial variables were evaluated. Based on the total score of the Hamilton Rating Scale of Depression (HRSD-17), patients with MDD were classified into three subgroups of severity (mild, moderate and severe). The logistic regression analyses were conducted to investigate the independent risk factors of MDD and different severities of depression.

RESULTS

Overall, 598 MDD patients and 467 HCs were included. The proportions of patients with mild, moderate, and severe depression were 260 (29.5%), 443 (50.2%), and 179 (20.3%), respectively. The logistic regression model revealed that the demographic and psychosocial factors could explain 50.6% of the total variance of occurrence of MDD in the whole sample with HCs. However, in the subsample of MDD patients, only older age [OR=1.03 (95%CI: 1.02-1.05)], stressful social events [OR=1.04 (95%CI: 1.02-1.06)], and melancholic feature [OR=2.68 (95%CI: 1.91-3.74)] were independent risk factors for moderate and severe depression; these factors combined to explain only 10.2% of the total variance.

LIMITATIONS

Only patients with first-episode MDD were included in this study, leaving the associated factors for the severity of recurrent depression uninvestigated.

CONCLUSION

Demographic and psychosocial variables had satisfactory performance in predicting the occurrence of MDD, but showed inadequate value in predicting the depression severity of MDD patients.

The mediating role of gratitude in the relationship between attachment styles and psychological well-being

OBJECTIVE

To determine the mediating role of gratitude in the relationship between attachment styles and psychological well-being in students.

METHOD

We selected 200 students using randomised cluster sampling in the academic year 2016-2017. They completed the attachment style, psychological well-being and gratitude questionnaires.

RESULTS

On path analysis, secure attachment style had a positive relationship with both gratitude and psychological well-being. Conversely, anxiety-avoidance styles had a negative relationship with both outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

Gratitude plays a mediating role attachment and psychological well-being. These results may have implications for the development of interventions to improve mental well-being with a focus on enhancing gratitude.

The Effect of Personality Traits on Risk of Incident Pre-dementia Syndromes

OBJECTIVES

Personality traits have been shown to be associated with the risk of dementia; less is known about their association with pre-dementia syndromes. The aim of the present study was to examine the role of personality traits as predictors of incident pre-dementia, motoric cognitive risk (MCR), and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) syndromes.

DESIGN

We prospectively examined the association between five personality traits (neuroticism, extraversion, conscientiousness, agreeableness, and openness) and the risk of incident MCR or MCI. MCR builds on MCI operational definitions, substituting the cognitive impairment criterion with slow gait, and it is associated with increased risk for both Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia.

SETTING

Community based.

PARTICIPANTS

Nondemented participants (n = 524; 62% women) aged 65 years and older.

MEASUREMENTS

Cox proportional hazard analysis, adjusted for demographics and disease burden, was used to evaluate the risk of each pre-dementia syndrome based on baseline personality traits, measured using the Big Five Inventory.

RESULTS

Over a median follow-up of 3 years, 38 participants developed incident MCR, and 69 developed incident MCI (41 non-amnestic and 28 amnestic subtypes). Openness was associated with a reduced risk of developing incident MCR (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] = .94; 95% confidence interval [CI] = .89-.99), whereas neuroticism was associated with an increased risk of incident non-amnestic MCI (aHR = 1.06; 95% CI = 1.01-1.11). These associations remained significant even after considering the confounding effects of lifestyle or mood. None of the personality traits were associated with MCI overall or amnestic MCI.

CONCLUSION

These findings provide evidence of a distinct relationship between personality traits and development of specific pre-dementia syndromes. J Am Geriatr Soc 68:1554-1559, 2020.

Reminiscence, personality, coping and mood state in institutionalised older adults: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Reminiscence functions in older adults have been associated with variables related to mental health such as depressive symptoms. Additionally, the way in which older adults cope with stress or their personality traits could influence their use of reminiscence. This study examined the relation between gender, coping styles, personality traits and reminiscence functions and how these variables predict depressive symptoms in institutionalised older adults.

METHODS

The participants were 117 institutionalised older adults (range 62-98 years). They completed measures of reminiscence functions, depressive symptoms, coping styles and personality traits.

RESULTS

Neuroticism and avoidance coping styles were related to a maladaptive use of reminiscence functions. The results showed that institutionalised older adults with high neuroticism and who usually use emotional discharge and logical analysis as avoidance coping styles and bitterness revival as a reminiscence function may be more likely to present depressive symptoms.

CONCLUSION

The findings may help enhance the efficacy of interventions using reminiscence.

General personality dimensions, impairment and treatment response in obsessive-compulsive disorder

General personality dimensions are associated with clinical severity and treatment response in individuals with depression and many anxiety disorders, but little is known about these relationships in individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Individuals in the current study included 705 adults with OCD who had participated in family and genetic studies of the disorder. Participants self-completed the Neuroticism, Extraversion, Openness Personality Inventory or Neuroticism, Extraversion, Openness Five-Factor Inventory-3. Relationships between personality scores, and subjective impairment and OCD treatment response, were evaluated. The odds of subjective impairment increased with (unit increase in) the neuroticism score (odds ratio, OR = 1.03; 95% CI = 1.01-1.04; p < 0.01) and decreased with extraversion scores (OR = 0.98; 95% CI = 0.96-0.99; p < 0.01). The odds of reporting a good response to serotonin/selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (OR = 1.02; 95% CI = 1.01-1.04; p < 0.01) or cognitive behavioural therapy (OR = 1.03; 95% CI = 1.01-1.05; p < 0.01) increased with the extraversion score. The magnitude of these relationships did not change appreciably after adjusting for other clinical features related to one or more of the personality dimensions. The findings suggest that neuroticism and extraversion are associated with subjective impairment, and that extraversion is associated with self-reported treatment response, in individuals with OCD. © 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Personality traits and depressive symptoms: The moderating and mediating effects of resilience in Chinese adolescents

BACKGROUND

Various studies showed that personality traits and resilience might have impacts on depressive symptoms, separately. However, the relationships among personality traits, resilience and depressive symptoms are still undefined. Thus, this study tried to explore the potential effect of resilience on the associations between personality traits and depressive symptoms in Chinese adolescents.

METHODS

Adolescents (n = 6019) aged 10-17 years were recruited from nine schools in Wuhan, China. Depressive symptoms, personality traits, and resilience were evaluated by the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale (CES-D), the NEO-Five Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI), and the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), respectively.

RESULTS

Neuroticism was positively associated with depressive symptoms, whereas extraversion, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness were negatively associated with depressive symptoms. Resilience separately moderated the associations of neuroticism, extraversion, agreeableness, and conscientiousness with depressive symptoms, and partly mediated the associations of all five personality traits with depressive symptoms.

LIMITATIONS

This study is a cross sectional study and cannot ascertain the causal relationships between the variables. Also self-reported questionnaire instruments were used in the data collection.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggested that resilience might play moderating and mediating roles in the associations of personality traits with depressive symptoms, and prompted that it was critical to improve resilience and develop adaptive personality traits in the prevention and intervention of depression in adolescents.

'Big Five' personality characteristics are associated with loneliness but not with social network size in older adults, irrespective of depression

OBJECTIVE

Loneliness and social isolation have negative health consequences and are associated with depression. Personality characteristics are important when studying persons at risk for loneliness and social isolation. The objective of this study was to clarify the association between personality factors, loneliness and social network, taking into account diagnosis of depression, partner status and gender.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional data of an ongoing prospective cohort study, the Netherlands Study of Depression in Older Persons (NESDO), were used.

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

474 participants were recruited from mental health care institutions and general practitioners in five different regions in the Netherlands.

MEASUREMENTS

NEO-Five Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI) personality factors and loneliness and social network were measured as well as possible confounders. Multinominal logistic regression analyses were performed to analyse the associations between NEO-FFI factors and loneliness and social network. Interaction terms were investigated for depression, partner status and gender.

RESULTS

Higher neuroticism and lower extraversion in women and lower agreeableness in both men and women were associated with loneliness but not with social network size irrespective of the presence of depression. In the non-depressed group only, lower openness was associated with loneliness. Interaction terms with partner status were not significant.

CONCLUSIONS

Personality factors are associated with loneliness especially in women. In men lower agreeableness contributes to higher loneliness. In non-depressed men and women, lower openness is associated with loneliness. Personality factors are not associated with social network size.

Trajectories and determinants of functional limitations in late-life depression: A 2-year prospective cohort study

Background:

In mental health research, functional recovery is increasingly valued as an important outcome in addition to symptomatic remission.

Methods:

Course types of functional limitations among depressed older patients and its relation with symptomatic remission were explored in a naturalistic cohort study (Netherlands Study of Depression in Older persons). 378 depressed older patients (≥60 years) and 132 non-depressed persons were included. Depressive disorders were assessed with Composite International Diagnostic Interview at baseline and two-year follow-up. Functional limitations were assessed every 6 months with the World Health Organization Disability Assessment II.

Results:

Depressed patients had more functional limitations compared to their non-depressed counterparts. Growth Mixture Modeling among depressed patients identified two trajectories of functional limitations, both starting at a high disability level. The largest subgroup (81.2%) was characterized by a course of high disability levels over time. The smaller subgroup (18.8%) had an improving course (functional recovery). After two years, the main predictor of functional recovery was the remission of depression. Among symptomatic remitted patients, female sex, higher level of education, higher gait speed, and less severe depression were associated with no functional recovery. Non-remitted patients without functional recovery were characterized by the presence of more chronic somatic diseases, a lower sense of mastery, and a higher level of anxiety.

Conclusions:

1 in 5 depressed older patients have a course with functional recovery. Combining functional and symptomatic recovery points to a subgroup of older patients that might profit from more rigorous psychiatric treatment targeted at psychiatric comorbidity and a group of frail depressed older patients that might profit from integrated geriatric rehabilitation.

Relationship between childhood maltreatment and geriatric depression: the mediator effect of personality traits

BACKGROUND

Childhood maltreatment is an important factor associated with adverse mental health outcomes including geriatric depression and the "big five" personality characteristics. The objective of this study was to evaluate a model where personality characteristics mediate the relationship between childhood maltreatment and geriatric depression.

METHOD

In this cross-sectional study, elderly subjects from socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods of Porto Alegre, Brazil (n = 260) completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), NEO-Five Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI), and Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview 5.0 (MINI plus). We used structural equation modeling (SEM) to evaluate the mediation hypothesis.

RESULTS

The five personality factors (neuroticism, extraversion, agreeableness, openness, and conscientiousness) were related to childhood maltreatment and depression. Mediation analysis revealed that neuroticism and extraversion are complete mediators, agreeableness and conscientiousness are partial mediators, and openness is not a mediator.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings support the hypothesis in which childhood maltreatment is associated with geriatric depression and mediated by personality factors. These results suggest that reducing the maladaptive personality trait in elderly people who suffered childhood maltreatment could prevent geriatric depression.

Differences in Personality, Defense Styles, and Coping Strategies in Individuals with Depressive Disorder According to Age Groups Across the Lifespan

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to examine the differences in personality, defense style, and coping styles among patients with depression according to age groups.

METHODS

A total of 211 participants ranging from 19 to 81 years old were recruited for the study. To assess participants' five dimensions of personality, the Neuroticism-Extraversion-Openness Personality Inventory-Revised (NEO-PI-R) was administered. In addition, the Korean-Defense Style Questionnaire and the Korean version of the coping checklist were administered to examine the defense and coping style.

RESULTS

In the analysis of NEO-PI-R, the mean value of Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, and Neuroticism showed significant differences between the young adult age group (20-34 years) and the late middle age group (50-64 years) (p<0.05). The young age group used more immature defense styles and made less use of problem-focused coping strategy than the old age patients (65 years and older) (p<0.05).

CONCLUSION

In the young age group associations with lower Agreeableness and Conscientiousness, as well as higher Neuroticism than the late middle age group were observed. Moreover, the young age group had a higher usage of immature defense style, and restricted use of problem-focused coping style than other age groups.

Depressive Symptoms Among Police Officers: Associations with Personality and Psychosocial Factors

Protective psychosocial factors may reduce the risk of stress-related illnesses in policing. We assessed the association between protective factors and depressive symptoms among 242 police officers. Participants were from the Buffalo Cardio-Metabolic Occupational Police Stress (BCOPS) Study (2004-2014). Coping, hardiness, personality traits, and social support were assessed at baseline. Depressive symptoms were measured at baseline and follow-up using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression (CES-D) scale. The relationship between protective factors and the rate of change in depressive symptoms was assessed using linear regression. Logistic regression evaluated associations between protective factors and new-onset depression. Of participants free of depression at baseline, 23 (10.7%) developed probable depression during the follow-up. Odds of new-onset depression increased with increasing neuroticism (adjusted odds ratio [ORADJ] = 1.22, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.11-1.35) and passive coping (ORADJ = 2.07, 95% CI, 1.06-4.03). Increasing agreeableness (ORADJ = 0.87, 95% CI, 0.78-0.96) and conscientiousness (ORADJ = 0.90, 95% CI, 0.84-0.98) were associated with decreased odds of new-onset depression. New-onset depression was not significantly associated with other coping subscales, hardiness, or social support. There were no significant associations between protective factors and change in depressive symptom scores. This study suggests certain personality characteristics and passive coping may be associated with increased odds of new-onset depression in police officers.

Personality associated with depressive status in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Objective: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is associated with a high prevalence of depression, and depression is influenced by personality traits; however, these psychological factors have not been well studied in individuals with T2DM. The association between the use of a 5-factor model of personality and depressive symptoms was examined in individuals with T2DM. Methods: The subjects were 435 T2DM patients (mean age 63.1±12.6 years). Depressive status and personality traits were assessed using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale and the Ten-Item Personality Inventory, Japanese version, respectively. Lifestyle factors and glycated hemoglobin A1c levels in the patients were also included in the analyses. Results: Among the 435 subjects with T2DM, 130 (29.9%) exhibited possible depression, and 68 (15.6%) exhibited probable depression. After adjustment for confounders, Extraversion, Agreeableness and Neuroticism were found to be significantly associated with the presence of depression. No relationships were found between depression and HbA1c. Conclusion: These findings indicate that Extraversion and Agreeableness are protective factors, and Neuroticism is a risk factor for depression in T2DM patients. Psychological therapy focusing on personality may reduce depressive symptoms. Additional studies are needed to examine the relationships between psychological factors and depressive symptoms using a longitudinal study design.

Personality and its Relationship to Depression and Cognition in Older Adults: Implications for Practice

OBJECTIVES

Personality is an important contributor to an individual's mental health and is consistently linked to the two most prevalent mental health conditions among older adults: dementia and depression. This review summarizes the current findings on personality and its association with cognitive decline and depression, as well as treatment outcomes and possible intervention strategies.

METHODS

Literature searches were conducted in Web of Science, PubMed, and PsycINFO. Search terms included 'personality traits,' 'depression,' 'treatment,' and 'older adults.'

RESULTS

Cognitive decline and depressive disorders are both associated with a common personality profile: high neuroticism, and low conscientiousness, extraversion, openness, and agreeableness. Across studies, the most consistent predictor of late-life depression, its course, and treatment outcomes is higher neuroticism.

CONCLUSIONS

Personality traits are associated with cognitive decline, as well as the diagnosis and course of late-life depression in older adults. However, formal personality assessment is not typically incorporated in clients' treatment plans, even though personality traits may influence treatment efficacy and outcomes.

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

Formal assessment of personality traits may be beneficial in terms of treatment adherence and outcomes for older adults. Tailored interventions that specifically target the client's strengths are likely to be well received by both clients and clinicians.

Symptoms of depression and anxiety in cancer outpatients: predictive variables

Objectives: The objectives of the present study are to investigate the association among symptoms of depression and anxiety, sociodemographic variables and personality factors and also verify the predictive power of these variables in cancer outpatients. Method: The sample was composed by 220 individuals, 138 (62.7%) women and 82 (37.3%) men. The instruments used were: Questionnaire on sociodemographic and clinical data; NEO-FFI Personality Inventory Revised (NEO-FFI-R) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). The t test and the Spearman correlation were used to verify the relation between sociodemographic and clinic variables and symptoms of anxiety and depression. A Multiple Linear Regression analysis was made to verify the predictive power of sociodemographic and clinic variables and personality factors. Results: The personality factor neuroticism was predictor of anxiety symptoms. The variable previous psychiatric history and the personality factors neuroticism and extraversion were predictors of depressive symptoms. Conclusion: Depression and anxiety symptoms are associated with some sociodemographic variables and personality factors, and these variables can be deemed risk factors for the development of these symptoms. It is important that health professionals who follow-up this population design strategies to collect this information, in order to help patients manage treatment the best way possible.

Links between depression and openness and its facets

Most studies on depression and personality have focused on the role of Neuroticism and Extraversion. Openness is a much less studied trait in this literature, as past studies investigating Openness and depression often have found non-significant correlations between them. However, past studies mostly have investigated Openness and depression at the domain level and used non-clinical samples. In the present study, the relationship between depression and Openness at the domain and facet levels was examined in a sample of 266 participants recruited from outpatient psychiatric settings. Findings showed that although the Openness domain was significantly related to depression, it did not account for a significant proportion of unique variance for depression. However, Openness did account for a significant proportion of unique variance for depression at the facet level, even after accounting for sex, age, Neuroticism and Extraversion. Specifically, unique effects emerged for the facets of Aesthetics positively predicting Depression and Values negatively predicting Depression and Anhedonia. Clinical and theoretical implications are discussed. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Self-perceived level of competitiveness, tension and dependency and depression risk in the SUN cohort

BACKGROUND

Emerging evidence suggests a possible etiologic role of certain personality traits (not necessary dysfunctional) in the risk of depression, but the longitudinal long-term available evidence is currently scarce. We longitudinally assessed whether 3 common personality traits (competitiveness, tension and dependency) were associated with the risk of depression after a maximum follow-up of 15 years.

METHODS

We assessed 15,604 university graduates free of depression at baseline through a self-administered questionnaire including personality traits. Simple, Likert-type, questions with 11 possible answers ranging from 0 to 10 were used at baseline to assess the 3 personality traits. We compared participants with high scores (7-10) versus those with low scores (0-4). New medical diagnoses of depression during follow-up were used as the outcome.

RESULTS

During a median follow-up of 10.1 y, we prospectively identified 902 new medical diagnoses of depression. The multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals) for depression were 1.85 (1.52-2.24) for participants with higher baseline tension (7-10 versus 0 to 4), P-trend < 0.001; and 1.23 (1.06-1.44) for high versus low baseline dependence levels, P-trend = 0.004. Higher levels of competitiveness were marginally associated with lower risk of depression, with hazard ratio = 0.78 (0.61-1.01), P-trend = 0.105.

CONCLUSION

A simple scoring system of personality traits shows an independent association with the future occurrence of depression. This finding underscores, with now prospective evidence, the importance of personality traits in the aetiology of depression and can provide a clinically useful tool for gathering valid information about depression-related personality traits.

Individual differences in aesthetic engagement are reflected in resting-state fMRI connectivity: Implications for stress resilience

OBJECTIVE

Individual differences in aesthetic engagement-the propensity to be moved by art, nature, and beauty-are associated with positive health outcomes, as well as stress resilience. The purpose of the current study was to identify potential neural substrate mechanisms underlying individual differences in aesthetic engagement and reported proneness to aesthetic chill.

METHODS

Data from the Human Connectome Project (HCP) 1200 Subjects Release were utilized. Resting-state fMRI connectivity was extracted for 361 regions in the brain including cortical, subcortical and cerebellar regions for each participant, using participant-specific segmentation and parcellation of subcortical gray matter nuclei and a network-based statistics analytical approach. The Aesthetic Interests subcluster of the Openness to Experience scale (NEO-Five Factor Inventory; NEO-FFI) was used to characterize individual differences in aesthetic engagement and chill.

RESULTS

Participants reporting higher aesthetic engagement, particularly proneness to aesthetic chill responses, exhibited significantly higher connectivity between the default network and sensory and motor cortices, higher connectivity between the ventral default and salience networks, and decreased connectivity between the cerebellum and somatomotor cortex.

CONCLUSIONS

Current findings suggest that greater integration of the default mode network, involving processing of internal narrative, with neural representations of sensory perception and salience detection may be a mechanism underlying individual differences in aesthetic engagement. Thus, these individual differences may reflect general integration of environmental perception with internal emotional experience, which in turn may facilitate comfort with novelty, self-regulation, and positive adaptation to potentially stressful experiences.

Personality factors and cognitive functioning in elderly with Parkinson's disease

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a chronic and progressive neurological disease, resulting from cell degeneration in the substantia nigra, responsible for the production of dopamine.

Personality traits, patient-centered health status and prognosis of brain tumor patients

Personality traits can be related to prognosis of cancer patients. The study aimed to evaluate the association of big-five personality dimensions with emotional and cognitive health status, and prognosis of brain tumor patients. A total of 178 patients admitted for brain tumor surgery were evaluated for personality traits (Tem item Personality Inventory), depressive/anxiety symptoms (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale or HADS) and cognitive functioning (Mini Mental State Examination or MMSE) on admission. One-hundred and forty-three patients were re-evaluated (HADS and MMSE scales) at hospital discharge. Follow-up continued until November, 2015. Thirty-five patients were diagnosed with high-grade glioma, 15 with low-grade glioma and 128 with benign brain tumors (meningioma, pituitary adenoma and vestibular schwannoma). In multivariate regression analyses adjusted for age, gender, past brain tumor treatment, psychiatric histories and medication use, and education, greater TIPI-Extroversion score was associated with greater admission MMSE score (β = 0.159); TIPI-Emotional stability score, with lower HADS-Depression and HADS-Anxiety scores on admission (β = - 0.407 and β = - 0.404, respectively) and at discharge (β = - 0.404 and β = - 0.319, respectively); and greater TIPI-Openness score, with lower admission HADS-D score (β = - 0.255, p = 0.001). In benign brain tumor patients, greater TIPI-Openness score was associated with reduced mortality risk [HR = 0.554 95% CI (0.376-0.814) p = 0.003)] independently from age, gender and histological diagnosis. Personality traits were not associated with survival of high-grade and low-grade glioma patients. Emotional stability and openness are associated with lower depressive/anxiety symptom severity, and extroversion with better cognitive functioning independently from demographic and clinical risk factors. Openness predicts lower mortality risk of low-grade/benign brain tumor patients.

Big Five personality characteristics are associated with depression subtypes and symptom dimensions of depression in older adults

OBJECTIVE

This study examined the associations of personality characteristics with both subtypes and symptom dimensions of depression in older adults.

METHODS

Three hundred and seventy-eight depressed older adults participated in the Netherlands Study of Depression in Older Persons. Personality characteristics were assessed by the NEO-Five Factor Inventory. Subtypes and symptom dimensions of depression were determined using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview and the Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (IDS). Multinomial logistic regression analyses were performed to examine the associations between personality and atypical, melancholic, and unspecified subtypes of major depression. Linear regression analyses examined the associations between personality and the IDS mood, somatic, and motivation symptom dimensions. The analyses were adjusted for confounders and additionally adjusted for depression severity.

RESULTS

Neuroticism, Extraversion, Conscientiousness, and Agreeableness were associated with specified (atypical or melancholic) major depression compared with unspecified major depression in the bivariate analyses but lost their significance after adjustments for functional limitations and severity of depression. Neuroticism was positively associated with the IDS mood and motivation symptom dimensions, also in the adjusted models. Further, Extraversion and Agreeableness were negatively associated with the IDS mood symptom dimension, and Extraversion and Conscientiousness were negatively associated with the IDS motivation symptom dimension. None was associated with the IDS somatic symptom dimension.

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrated the association of personality characteristics with mood and motivational symptoms of late-life depression. The lacking ability of personality to differentiate between melancholic and atypical depression seems to be largely explained by severity of depressive symptoms. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.