The role of neuroticism and extraversion in the stress–anxiety and stress–depression relationships
Open Access
- 1 July 2010
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Taylor & Francis Ltd in Anxiety, Stress & Coping
- Vol. 23 (4), 363-381
- https://doi.org/10.1080/10615800903377264
Abstract
Though there is a considerable amount of research supporting the association between stressful life events and major depression, there is a paucity of research concerning a range of other life stress constructs, non-depressive disorders, the role of stable personality traits, and gender differences. This study addresses these deficits by: (a) focusing on the association between interpersonal and non-interpersonal chronic life stress (CLS) and both depressive and anxiety disorders; (b) examining the roles of neuroticism and low extraversion in these associations; and (c) assessing gender differences. Participants were 603 adolescents from a study examining risk factors for emotional disorders. Depression and social phobia were associated with interpersonal CLS (IP-CLS), with neuroticism partially accounting for these associations. Low extraversion partially accounted for the association between social phobia and IP-CLS. Depression was also associated with non-interpersonal CLS (NI-CLS), but only in females. This study provides preliminary evidence for the importance of personality variables in explaining shared associations between stress and depression. Additionally, the stress–social phobia relationship is highlighted with no evidence supporting an association between other anxiety disorders and CLS.Keywords
This publication has 47 references indexed in Scilit:
- Biased parameter estimates and inflated type I error rates in analysis of covariance (and analysis of partial variance) arising from unreliability: Alternatives and remedial strategies.Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 2010
- An examination of content overlap and disorder-specific predictions in the associations of neuroticism with anxiety and depressionJournal of Research in Personality, 2009
- Sex Differences in Stress Generation: An Examination of Sociotropy/Autonomy, Stress, and Depressive SymptomsPersonality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 2006
- Confidence Limits for the Indirect Effect: Distribution of the Product and Resampling MethodsMultivariate Behavioral Research, 2004
- Gender differences in personality traits across cultures: Robust and surprising findings.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2001
- Reassurance seeking, stress generation, and depressive symptoms: An integrative model.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1995
- Temperament, personality, and the mood and anxiety disorders.Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 1994
- A power primer.Psychological Bulletin, 1992
- Psychiatric history and stress: Predictors of severity of unipolar depression.Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 1992
- Generation of stress in the course of unipolar depression.Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 1991