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Background: Dermatological conditions extend beyond physical symptoms, profoundly impacting the psychological well-being of patients. This study explores the intricate relationship between depressive symptoms, quality of life (QoL), and personality traits in individuals diagnosed with specific genodermatoses. Methods: The study cohort comprised 30 patients with genodermatoses treated at the dermatology clinic, and a healthy control group. Standardized survey questionnaires: The Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI), and NEO Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI) were employed for assessments. Results: The findings indicate a significantly elevated risk of severely or very severely reduced QoL in the study group compared to matched controls (OR = 22.2, 95% CI: 2.7–184.8). Specifically, individuals with ichthyosis exhibited a staggering 131-fold higher risk of diminished QoL compared to the control group. Furthermore, the prevalence of depression was higher in the study group than in the control group (36.7% vs. 10%; p = 0.0086). A detailed analysis revealed that patients with low or average agreeableness exhibited a notably higher incidence of depression compared to those with high agreeableness (100% or 75% vs. 28.6%; p = 0.0400). Similarly, individuals with high levels of neuroticism had a significantly higher incidence of depression compared to those with average or low levels of neuroticism (rates: 66.7% vs. 9.1% or 0%, respectively; p = 0.0067). Conclusions: The study underscores a substantial correlation between genodermatoses and the mental health of affected individuals, underscoring the imperative consideration of psychological factors in the management of hereditary skin disorders. Our study's primary limitation is the small sample size, stemming from difficulties in recruiting participants due to the rare nature of the studied conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Language teacher immunity is a novel concept in language teacher psychology that serves as a shield against the unavoidable hassles of teaching contexts. The current study aimed to fill the gap in the existing literature by employing a mixed-methods approach to find the relationship between Iranian EFL (English as a foreign language) teachers' immunity and their personality types. For the quantitative phase of the study, the data were collected through two questionnaires, teacher immunity by Hiver (2016) and the NEO-FFI-3 (NEO Five-Factor Inventory) by Costa and McCrae (2010), which were distributed among a random sample of 50 participants (19 males and 31 females) in various language institutes in Iran. For the qualitative phase of the study, an interview was conducted with eight EFL teachers through a phone call to reach in-depth information regarding teacher immunity. The findings indicated a significant positive correlation between teacher immunity facets and personality types. Teaching self-efficacy and conscientiousness was the most dominant teacher immunity facets and personality types. The current study would probably help EFL teachers know how to respond to various traumatic and detrimental situations in teaching English based on their personality and immunity types.

Language teacher immunity is a novel concept in language teacher psychology that serves as a shield against the unavoidable hassles of teaching contexts. The current study aimed to fill the gap in the existing literature by employing a mixed-methods approach to find the relationship between Iranian EFL (English as a foreign language) teachers' immunity and their personality types. For the quantitative phase of the study, the data were collected through two questionnaires, teacher immunity by Hiver (2016) and the NEO-FFI-3 (NEO Five-Factor Inventory) by Costa and McCrae (2010), which were distributed among a random sample of 50 participants (19 males and 31 females) in various language institutes in Iran. For the qualitative phase of the study, an interview was conducted with eight EFL teachers through a phone call to reach in-depth information regarding teacher immunity. The findings indicated a significant positive correlation between teacher immunity facets and personality types. Teaching self-efficacy and conscientiousness was the most dominant teacher immunity facets and personality types. The current study would probably help EFL teachers know how to respond to various traumatic and detrimental situations in teaching English based on their personality and immunity types. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the association between teacher educators’ personality traits and their interpersonal behavior at Farhangian University (Teacher Education University in Iran). A sample of 148 student teachers majoring in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) at two branches of Iranian Teacher Education University evaluated their teacher educators’ interpersonal behavior by the questionnaire for teacher interaction (QTI). The teacher educators (N=17) also completed the QTI and the NEO Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI). The results of correlational analyses indicated significant associations between educators’ personality traits and their interpersonal behavior. More associations were observed between educators’ personality and student teachers’ perceptions of interpersonal behavior while fewer associations were observed between educators’ personality and the educators’ self-perceptions. Moreover, the results revealed that all educators’ personality traits except for Openness were significantly correlated with the two interpersonal behavior dimensions of Influence and Proximity. When stepwise regression analyses were done for the Influence dimension, the strongest model for prediction included Neuroticism and Conscientiousness while for the second dimension, Agreeableness emerged as the sole, significant predictor of educator Proximity.

In Japan, there have been no examinations of tinnitus with respect to personality traits, and only a few studies have investigated sleep disorders in tinnitus. Understanding the association between these can aid in selecting and developing effective treatment options for patients with tinnitus. This study aimed to clarify the relationship between tinnitus severity, personality, and sleep disorders, in patients with chronic tinnitus in Japan. We retrospectively evaluated the personality factors of 56 patients presenting with tinnitus using the NEO Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI), which examines five personality characteristics, including Neuroticism, Extraversion, Openness, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness. We evaluated tinnitus severity, sleep disorders, depression, and anxiety using the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Self-Rating Depression Scale, and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, respectively. Neuroticism and tinnitus severity were positively correlated (r = 0.548, p < 0.001). Sleep disorders were observed in 73.2% of patients; however, there was no correlation between the PSQI score and tinnitus severity or between PSQI score and scores of the five NEO-FFI items. Sleep disorders are frequently experienced by patients with chronic tinnitus, regardless of tinnitus severity or personality. Understanding the relationship between personality and tinnitus severity could lead to better management of tinnitus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Five-Factor Model (FFM) of personality traits is one of the most comprehensive personality models in modern psychology. The traits, or domains, of the model, provide an extensive framework, which allows researchers to analyse the correlation between the aspects of personality and various aspects of social behaviour. Academic achievement is a key factor in a subject’s success, and a more comprehensive understanding of its potential factors could improve educational programs and teaching strategies. Objectives: The purpose of this paper is to consider the correlations between the FFM (Big Five) personality traits and the academic achievement of university students in various fields of study. Design: This study has adopted a descriptive analytic approach by exploring previous research data. In the present empirical research, the Big Five factors were measured with the Russian NEO Five-Factor Inventory adaptation by S. Biryukov and M. Bodunov. Academic achievement was defined as the average value of the semester final grades. The Spearman correlation analysis was used for statistical analysis. The sample includes 207 first- and second-year university students in the Linguistics Department. Results: The analysis of the published data revealed that Western psychological studies show that consciousness and openness, two values in the model, are more closely connected with the peculiarities of the students’ academic achievement in different fields of study, but similar studies conducted in Russian universities do not fully confirm this data. Findings of our research proved that consciousness is more associated with greater academic achievement of Russian linguistics students in most fields of study compared to the other FFM traits, while other traits showed more specific correlations with particular fields of study. Conclusions: The data suggests that both environmental and internal psychological factors, such as motivation, intelligence, inclinations, abilities, etc. affect academic achievement. However, further research suggests that volitional and cognitive personality traits considered in the framework of various models of personality may have a great influence on academic achievement and should also be taken into consideration. Personality traits, especially consciousness and openness of the FFM, are significant factors of academic achievement. The associations between academic achievement and FFM traits are more prominent in those fields of study that include such features as their relative novelty, difficulty or interest for students (Second Foreign Language, Special Disciplines, and Psychology & Pedagogics).

Background: Photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) is a common procedure to correct refractive errors. However, postoperative pain is one of the most common drawbacks of PRK. Evidence shows that individual`s personality traits could impact postoperative perceived pain. Hence, this study aimed to investigate the severity of postoperative pain and personality traits after PRK., Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on 300 patients who attended to Mahdieh Surgical Clinic (Hamadan, Iran) and underwent PRK. Persian version of the NEO Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI) was applied to assess personality traits, and postoperative pain was measured using the visual analog scale (VAS) score., Results: The mean age of patients was 31.8 ±5.51 years, and most (68%) were female. The most common personality trait was neuroticism, and the mean refractive errors of the right and left eyes of the patients were 1.2±2.67 and 1.3±2.75, respectively. Regarding the VAS score, patients with neuroticism traits perceived the most severe postoperative pain (VAS=6±2.2). Also, the Pearson correlation test indicated a positive correlation between perceived pain and neuroticism personality traits (r=0.059, P˂0.001). In contrast, a significant negative correlation was observed between extraversion and conscientiousness with pain perception (r= -0.737 and r= -0.307, respectively)., Conclusion: Our findings showed a positive and significant correlation between three personality traits and pain perception in these patients. Postoperative pain perception in patients undergoing PRK depends on the personality traits of these patients. Groups with less personality stability feel more pain than groups with stable personalities., Competing Interests: The authors of the study declare there were no conflicts of interest., (Copyright© 2024, Galen Medical Journal.)

Purpose: In the past, research on personality in borderline personality disorder (BPD) used primarily questionnaires suggesting heightened neuroticism in BPD. Self-report instruments inform about the conscious or explicit self-concept. BPD patients are known to show negative distortion with exaggeration of negative affect in the self-report. Neuroticism represents a risk factor for mental disorders. Indirect measures are available that tap into the implicit self-concept of neuroticism. The implicit self-concept refers to individual differences in associative representations of the self. The present study examined for the first time the implicit in addition to the explicit self-concept of neuroticism in BPD. Materials and methods: Female BPD patients (N = 35) and healthy women (N = 39) completed an implicit association test and the NEO-FFI personality inventory. Results: BPD patients showed higher implicit and explicit neuroticism compared to controls. The group difference for explicit neuroticism was four times larger than that for implicit neuroticism. Presence of comorbid depressive disorder was positively correlated with implicit neuroticism. The IAT neuroticism showed excellent split-half reliability for BPD patients. Conclusions: The present data suggest that BPD patients with comorbid clinical depression but not those without clinical depression differ from healthy individuals in their implicit self-concept of neuroticism. In the associative network, BPD patients with comorbid clinical depression exhibit stronger associations of the self with neuroticism-related characteristics, such as nervousness, fearfulness, and uncertainty than healthy individuals. Regardless of depression, BPD patients show increased explicit neuroticism. Our findings provide evidence that the IAT neuroticism can be applied reliably to BPD patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motivation toward learning is crucial factor for the students from the beginning of their education and motivation toward learning is changing during education of students and the motivation is influences by many factors. The main aims of the research was to find out the motivation of high school students toward learning, the personality traits of high school students and also relationship between motivation and personality traits. The research was also focused on the examining of variables like gender, grade level and achievement on the motivation and personality of students. The sample size was created from the high school students (n = 201). In the research were used two research tools Academic Motivation Scale and NEO Five-Factor Inventory. The gender and achievement of students had got an influence on the motivation toward learning. The relationship was detected between some subscales of motivation and some personality traits. In conclusion are presented some implications for pedagogical practice and suggestion for further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To examine the relation between neuroticism and fatigue in Chinese patients with stroke. Design Cross-sectional study. Setting Acute stroke unit. Participants Survivors of ischemic stroke (N=191) recruited from the acute stroke unit between May 1, 2010, and September 1, 2011. Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures The personality trait of neuroticism was measured with the neuroticism subscale of the Chinese version of the NEO Five-Factor Inventory. The level of fatigue was measured with the Fatigue Assessment Scale. The National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, Geriatric Depression Scale, Barthel Index, and Mini-Mental State Examination were administered to obtain demographic and clinical information. Results Fatigue severity 3 months after stroke positively correlated with Geriatric Depression Scale and NEO Five-Factor Inventory neuroticism scores and negatively correlated with the Barthel Index score. Conclusions Neuroticism, independent of depressive symptoms, is a predictor of fatigue severity 3 months after stroke. Interventions such as psychological screening programs are warranted for early detection of patients at high risk of poststroke depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extraversion–introversion is a personality dimension referring to individual differences in social behavior. In the past, neurobiological research on extraversion was almost entirely based upon questionnaires which inform about the explicit self-concept. Today, indirect measures are available that tap into the implicit self-concept of extraversion which is assumed to result from automatic processing functions. In our study, brain activation while viewing facial expression of affiliation relevant (i.e., happiness, and disgust) and irrelevant (i.e., fear) emotions was examined as a function of the implicit and explicit self-concept of extraversion and processing mode (automatic vs. controlled). 40 healthy volunteers watched blocks of masked and unmasked emotional faces while undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging. The Implicit Association Test and the NEO Five-Factor Inventory were applied as implicit and explicit measures of extraversion which were uncorrelated in our sample. Implicit extraversion was found to be positively associated with neural response to masked happy faces in the thalamus and temporo-parietal regions and to masked disgust faces in cerebellar areas. Moreover, it was positively correlated with brain response to unmasked disgust faces in the amygdala and cortical areas. Explicit extraversion was not related to brain response to facial emotions when controlling trait anxiety. The implicit compared to the explicit self-concept of extraversion seems to be more strongly associated with brain activation not only during automatic but also during controlled processing of affiliation relevant facial emotions. Enhanced neural response to facial disgust could reflect high sensitivity to signals of interpersonal rejection in extraverts (i.e., individuals with affiliative tendencies). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Approximately half of the variation in wellbeing measures overlaps with variation in personality traits. Studies of non-human primate pedigrees and human twins suggest that this is due to common genetic influences. We tested whether personality polygenic scores for the NEO Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI) domains and for item response theory (IRT) derived extraversion and neuroticism scores predict variance in wellbeing measures. Polygenic scores were based on published genome-wide association (GWA) results in over 17,000 individuals for the NEO-FFI and in over 63,000 for the IRT extraversion and neuroticism traits. The NEO-FFI polygenic scores were used to predict life satisfaction in 7 cohorts, positive affect in 12 cohorts, and general wellbeing in 1 cohort (maximal N = 46,508). Meta-analysis of these results showed no significant association between NEO-FFI personality polygenic scores and the wellbeing measures. IRT extraversion and neuroticism polygenic scores were used to predict life satisfaction and positive affect in almost 37,000 individuals from UK Biobank. Significant positive associations (effect sizes <0.05%) were observed between the extraversion polygenic score and wellbeing measures, and a negative association was observed between the polygenic neuroticism score and life satisfaction. Furthermore, using GWA data, genetic correlations of -0.49 and -0.55 were estimated between neuroticism with life satisfaction and positive affect, respectively. The moderate genetic correlation between neuroticism and wellbeing is in line with twin research showing that genetic influences on wellbeing are also shared with other independent personality domains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reticence is regarded as a problematic phenomenon among students in EFL classrooms. The present study was an attempt to explore the issue of reticence in Iranian foreign language classrooms. The study examined the relationship between students' reticence and their personality types among university EFL learners. For this purpose, the Reticence Scale-12 (RS-12) questionnaire and the 60-item NEO Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI) questionnaire were used. Moreover, interviews with the participants about reticence were employed to find the students' ideas about reticence in the classroom. The results revealed that the five personality types affected Iranian EFL students' reticence. In addition, educational, situational, and emotional factors contributed to the students' reticence in EFL classrooms. It can be concluded that teachers' awareness of learners' reticence can help them match their teaching styles with their students' personality types, and choose more appropriate activities that can enhance EFL learners' participation. The study can have implications and applications for both teachers and students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In violent video games, players engage in virtual aggressive behaviors. Exposure to virtual aggressive behavior induces short-term changes in players’ behavior. In a previous study, a violence-related version of the racing game “Carmageddon TDR2000” increased aggressive affects, cognitions, and behaviors compared to its non-violence-related version. This study investigates the differences in neural network activity during the playing of both versions of the video game. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) recorded ongoing brain activity of 18 young men playing the violence-related and the non-violence-related version of the video game Carmageddon. Image time series were decomposed into functional connectivity (FC) patterns using independent component analysis (ICA) and template-matching yielded a mapping to established functional brain networks. The FC patterns revealed a decrease in connectivity within 6 brain networks during the violence-related compared to the non-violence-related condition: three sensory-motor networks, the reward network, the default mode network (DMN), and the right-lateralized frontoparietal network. Playing violent racing games may change functional brain connectivity, in particular and even after controlling for event frequency, in the reward network and the DMN. These changes may underlie the short-term increase of aggressive affects, cognitions, and behaviors as observed after playing violent video games. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In teaching, innovative work behaviour is an important issue and there is a crucial role of teachers for development of innovations. Purpose of this study is to assess role of teacher's beliefs and personality for innovative work behaviour among school teachers. Participants were 400 secondary school teachers of 28 schools at Kolkata (West Bengal, India), who were administered the following measures: a) Innovative Work Behaviour Scale (Janssen, 2000), b) Belief-Assessment Scale for Innovation and c) Neo Five Factor Inventory (Costa & McCrae, 1992). The Belief-Assessment Scale for Innovation was developed for this study. Teacher's belief for innovation, openness, extraversion, and conscientiousness were found to be positively correlated with all the three domains of innovative work behaviour i.e. idea generation, idea promotion, and idea realisation. Neuroticism was negatively correlated with idea generation. Regression analysis revealed that teachers' beliefs for innovation and degree of openness to new or different ideas have a potentially significant impact on innovative work behaviour. This study is a significant contribution towards understanding the determining factors of innovative work behaviour among teachers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: The NEO Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI), a well-established 60-item questionnaire based on the Five-Factor Model (FFM) of personality, provides a valuable framework for the interdisciplinary approach to personality research and clinical practice. In response to the need for briefer personality measures, a 30-item version of the NEO-FFI (NEO-FFI-30) was developed and its factor structure replicated. Method: The study examines the psychometric quality of NEO-FFI-30 and provides population-based norms (n=1908 adults). Reliability coefficients, kurtosis, skewness, correlations and effect sizes illustrate the psychometric properties of the measure. Results: The relationships between neuroticism, extraversion, openness, agreeableness, conscientiousness and sociodemographic characteristics confirm previous research findings and speak to the validity of the brief version. Namely, women report higher neuroticism and agreeableness. Younger individuals indicate more extraversion but less agreeableness and conscientiousness. Finally, openness to experience was related to higher education. Percentile ranks are provided for the total sample and for subgroups by age and gender. Conclusions: The 30-item-version of the NEO-FFI constitutes an assessment tool comparable with the full-length instrument with regard to its psychometric properties. As such, the NEO-FFI-30 is a promising alternative to longer questionnaires, as well as to single-item measures of personality used in research and clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Oral contraceptives (OCs) affect mood in some women and may have more subtle effects on emotional information processing in many more users. Female carriers of mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) haplotype 2 have been shown to be more optimistic and less vulnerable to depression. Aim To investigate the effects of oral contraceptives on emotional information processing and a possible moderating effect of MR haplotype. Methods Cross-sectional study in 85 healthy premenopausal women of West-European descent. Results We found significant main effects of oral contraceptives on facial expression recognition, emotional memory and decision-making. Furthermore, carriers of MR haplotype 1 or 3 were sensitive to the impact of OCs on the recognition of sad and fearful faces and on emotional memory, whereas MR haplotype 2 carriers were not. Limitations Different compounds of OCs were included. No hormonal measures were taken. Most naturally cycling participants were assessed in the luteal phase of their menstrual cycle. Conclusions Carriers of MR haplotype 2 may be less sensitive to depressogenic side-effects of OCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Several studies have investigated the association between students' seating positions and their classroom performance. However, the role of personality traits on seating preference in the classroom has not been well investigated. The aim of the study was to understand how students choose their seats according to their personality traits in a classroom context and the influence of personality characteristics and seat selection on educational achievement. The seating positions of the medical students were recorded on an architectural plan during each class session, and the means and standard deviations of the students' locations were calculated in X and Y orientations. The locations of the students in the class were analyzed based on three architectural classifications: interactional zone, distance from the board, and access to the aisles. The NEO Five-Factor Inventory was used to evaluate the five main personality characteristics of the students. Midterm and final exam scores were used to measure the students' educational achievement. Analysis of variance showed a statistical significance correlation between the interactional zones and both agreeableness and conscientiousness. Mantel-Haenszel analysis showed a statistical significance association between sex and agreeableness and openness to experiences, which was mainly caused by zone II. Among the tested characteristics, a statistically significant relationship was observed between agreeableness and final exam scores. There was a statistical significance difference in openness and extraversion between the students with a high number of absences and their classmates. A relationship between the student's locations in the class, their educational achievements, and some of their personality characteristics are addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Personality traits are complex phenotypes related to psychosomatic health. Individually, various gene finding methods have not achieved much success in finding genetic variants associated with personality traits. We performed a meta-analysis of four genome-wide linkage scans (N=6149 subjects) of five basic personality traits assessed with the NEO Five-Factor Inventory. We compared the significant regions from the meta-analysis of linkage scans with the results of a meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) (N∼17 000). We found significant evidence of linkage of neuroticism to chromosome 3p14 (rs1490265, LOD=4.67) and to chromosome 19q13 (rs628604, LOD=3.55); of extraversion to 14q32 (ATGG002, LOD=3.3); and of agreeableness to 3p25 (rs709160, LOD=3.67) and to two adjacent regions on chromosome 15, including 15q13 (rs970408, LOD=4.07) and 15q14 (rs1055356, LOD=3.52) in the individual scans. In the meta-analysis, we found strong evidence of linkage of extraversion to 4q34, 9q34, 10q24 and 11q22, openness to 2p25, 3q26, 9p21, 11q24, 15q26 and 19q13 and agreeableness to 4q34 and 19p13. Significant evidence of association in the GWAS was detected between openness and rs677035 at 11q24 (P-value=2.6 × 10−06, KCNJ1). The findings of our linkage meta-analysis and those of the GWAS suggest that 11q24 is a susceptible locus for openness, with KCNJ1 as the possible candidate gene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Surgeons' personalities have been described as different from those of the general population, but this was based on small descriptive studies limited by the choice of evaluation instrument. Furthermore, although the importance of the human factor in team performance has been recognized, the effect of personality traits on technical performance is unknown. This study aimed to compare surgical residents' personality traits with those of the general population and to evaluate whether an association exists between their personality traits and technical performance using a virtual reality (VR) laparoscopy simulator. Methods: In this study, 95 participants (54 residents with basic, 29 with intermediate laparoscopic experience, and 12 students) underwent personality assessment using the NEO-Five Factor Inventory and performed five VR tasks of the Lap Mentor™ basic tasks module. The residents' personality traits were compared with those of the general population, and the association between VR performance and personality traits was investigated. Results: Surgical residents showed personality traits different from those of the general population, demonstrating lower neuroticism, higher extraversion and conscientiousness, and male residents showed greater openness. In the multivariable analysis, adjusted for gender and surgical experience, none of the personality traits was found to be an independent predictor of technical performance. Conclusions: Surgical residents present distinct personality traits that differ from those of the general population. These traits were not found to be associated with technical performance in a virtual environment. The traits may, however, play an important role in team performance, which in turn is highly relevant for optimal surgical performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The psychometric properties of the German adaptation of the Balanced Inventory of Desirable Responding were investigated. This 2-factor inventory taps the egoistic bias and the moralistic bias as the 2 distinguishable components of social desirability. In 2 validation studies, both subscales showed satisfactory internal consistency and temporal stability. To examine convergent and discriminant validity, the scales were correlated with those of a measure of unrealistic optimism, various measures of self-enhancement, 1-dimensional scales of social desirability, and the tendency to overclaim in a test of general knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presented study is aimed to investigate the mediating effect of problemfocused strategy on the relationship between personality traits and state anxiety. Three hundred and seventy five Iranian high school students were selected using the random cluster sampling method. The instruments used were the personality inventory NEO-FFI-3, the coping inventory and the state anxiety scale. Results of the structural model showed that problem-focused partially mediated the paths between E and SA, and N and SA. The findings suggest personality traits and coping strategy selections as significant predictors of state anxiety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the relationship between the personality trait of openness and subsequent intellectual change in Japanese middle age and later adulthood. Subjects (N =1,591) comprised the second and fifth wave participants of the National Institute for Longevity Sciences-Longitudinal Study of Aging (NILS-LSA). Openness was assessed using the NEO Five Factor Inventory, and intelligence was assessed with the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised Short Forms. Repeated measures Analysis of Variance revealed that elderly people who are more open at the time of the baseline measurement maintained their level of 'Information' test score for six years, whereas elderly who were less open showed a decline in their scores. The longitudinal association between openness and the 'Information' score was not found among middle-aged adults. On the other hand, in both age groups openness was cross-sectionally associated with 'Similarities,' 'Picture Completion,' and 'Digit Symbol' tests scores, but not subsequently with intellectual change. These results suggest that openness may explain individual differences in adult intelligence, and that especially among the elderly higher levels of openness may be helpful for maintaining higher levels of general factual knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: To assess genetic and environmental contributions to personal goals, 1279 twins aged 20–26 filled in Personal Project Analysis and NEO-FFI inventories. Personal goals relating to education, the respondent’s own family, friends, property, travel and self showed primarily genetic and unique environmental effects, whereas goals related to parents and relatives showed both shared and unique environmental effects. The variation in goals related to health, work, hobbies and life philosophy was attributable to non-shared environmental effects. Openness to experience and personal goals related to family, education and property shared a significant amount of genetic influence. The same was true for extraversion and self-related goals, and agreeableness and goals related to property. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Individuals' attitudes stem partly from their personality traits, which may influence their interpersonal relationships with patients. Although personality traits are somewhat genetically determined, research has found that there are other factors that may influence this, such as self-esteem, family, social and clinical environments, and education. Part one of this article explained the research process of this cross-sectional descriptive study, which assessed the personality traits of two cohorts of nursing/midwifery students (n=116, aged 19-44 years) in their third year of the Diploma/BSc (Hons) programme at the University of Malta (Baldacchino and Galea, 2012). Data were collected in 2006 using the NEO Five-Factor Inventory (Costa and McCrae, 1992c). In part two, the authors demonstrate that students obtained low neuroticism scores, average openness scores, and high agreeableness, extraversion and conscientiousness scores. Irrespective of nursing/midwifery programmes, age and gender, similar mean scores were identified in all five personality domains. These findings are consistent with previous studies, with some exceptions related to significant differences in gender and religiosity. Further larger scale longitudinal research is recommended on nursing/midwifery and allied healthcare students, to exhibit a possible profile pattern across time and other influencing factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Individuals' attitudes stem partly from their personality traits, which may influence their interpersonal relationships with patients. Although personality traits are somewhat genetically determined, research has found that there are other factors, which may influence this, such as self-esteem, family, social and clinical environments and education. Part one of this article presents the methodology of a cross-sectional descriptive study that assessed the personality traits of two cohorts (n=116) of nursing/midwifery students aged 19-44 years (mean=21.5) in their third year of the nursing diploma/BSc (Hons) at the University of Malta. Data were collected by the NEO Five-Factor Inventory (Costa and McCrae, 1992a) in 2006. While acknowledging that this study limits generalisation of the findings such as, collection of data in the third year of the course, following an attrition rate of 47% (Diploma) and 23% (BSc) since the start of the course programme, the findings presented in part two shed light on the nature of personality traits of students who are attracted towards the nursing profession. INSET: Box 1. Diploma and BSc (Hons) nursing/midwifery programmes.... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Reactive delusional disorder (DD) (with a precipitating factor) has been postulated to differ clinically from nonreactive DD and to show a better prognosis. Our study tests this hypothesis in a sample of patients with persistent DD (International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision) or DD (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition) followed during a period of more than 10 years. Method: As part of a long-term study on DD, 19 patients with DD and a stressful life event preceding the onset of the disorder were compared with 24 DD patients without such a life event. Diagnoses, social and biographical data, life events, and outcome were assessed by a semistructured interview and validated rating scales. Personality features were assessed by the NEO Five-Factor Inventory and by the Inventory of Clinical Personality Accentuations. Results: Patients with reactive DD tended to be somewhat younger but showed otherwise little differences to patients with nonreactive DD. In particular, there were no differences in the course of the disorder. However, patients with reactive DDwere significantly more often in a stable relationship and showed higher values on neuroticism and more pronounced dependent and borderline personality accentuations in dimensional personality measures. Conclusions: Reactive DD was not found to have a better prognosis than nonreactive DD. However, the results suggest an increased vulnerability for interpersonal conflicts in these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a consensus among the scholars that rater reliability is of a critical importance in rating subjective tests like an essay. Raters' variances in their judgments as the main threat to rater reliability have been attributed to different sources, all of which have the complex factor of rater individuality at their core. Based on this, it is argued in this study that essay raters' personality types can influence the degree of intra-rater reliability in scoring compositions. Guideline presentation effect on reliability has also been measured. Thirty raters participated in the current study and the NEO-FFI was used to measure their personality types. The results indicated a degree of relationship between raters' gender and personality types and their intra-rater reliabilities. However, no significant relationship was found between the guideline presentation and their inter-rater reliabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose in this study was to examine the relationship between the Big Five personality factors and psychological well-being of adolescents and the moderating role of emotional intelligence in that relationship. Adolescents (N = 400) randomly selected from secondary schools in southwestern Nigeria completed the NEO Five-Factor Inventory (Costa & McCrae, 1992), and emotional intelligence (Law, Wong, & Song, 2004), and psychological well-being (Ruff & Keyes, 1995) scales. It was found that personality factors and emotional intelligence had significant correlations with psychological well-being. Emotional intelligence moderated the relationship between neuroticism, extraversion, and psychological well-being. Implications for counseling adolescents and directions for future research are suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined relationships between ethical leadership and leaders' personality dimensions using the Ethical Leadership Scale (Brown, Treviño, & Harrison, 2005) and the NEO Five-Factor Inventory: Form S (Costa & McCrae, 1996; McCrae & Costa, 1987). We obtained data from subordinate-supervisor dyads from 59 community healthcare centers located in a city in northern China. Results of regression analysis revealed that neuroticism was negatively (β = -.29, p < .05), and extraversion (β = .27, p < .05), agreeableness (β = .40, p < .01), and conscientiousness (β = .40, p < .01) positively, related to ethical leadership, when leaders' demographics were controlled for. Implications for future investigations of ethical leadership and for management practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study evaluated the latent structure of the NEO Five-Factor Inventory (NEO FFI) and relations between the five-factor model (FFM) of personality and dimensions of DSM-IV anxiety and depressive disorders (panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder [GAD], obsessive—compulsive disorder, social phobia [SOC], major depressive disorder [MDD]) in a large sample of outpatients (N = 1,980). Exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) was used to show that a five-factor solution provided acceptable model fit, albeit with some poorly functioning items. Neuroticism demonstrated significant positive associations with all but one of the disorder constructs whereas Extraversion was inversely related to SOC and MDD. Conscientiousness was inversely related to MDD but demonstrated a positive relationship with GAD. Results are discussed in regard to potential revisions to the NEO FFI, the evaluation of other NEO instruments using ESEM, and clinical implications of structural paths between FFM domains and specific emotional disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract: This study examined the relations between personality traits and social problem-solving ability. Personality was measured by the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-Revised, the NEO Five-Factor Inventory, and the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule. Social problem-solving ability was assessed by the Social Problem-Solving Inventory-Revised, which measures five different dimensions of problem-solving ability. Results of stepwise multivariate multiple regression analyses showed that neuroticism was the strongest predictor of any single problem-solving dimension (negative problem orientation), whereas conscientiousness was the most consistent predictor across all five dimensions. Conscientiousness, openness, and positive affectivity predicted higher problem-solving ability, whereas neuroticism predicted lower ability. Squared multiple correlations for SPS dimensions range from 58% for negative problem orientation to just 19% for rational problem solving. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

NEO-FFI as translated in Urdu in the National Institute of Psychology was used on 452 undergraduate students in Pakistan. Item-analysis revealed that the response pattern of the students was differentiated across the five response choices for 44 of the 60 items. The mean scores of the respondents were close to a theoretical average of 35 for each scale. Girls scored significantly higher than boys on Neuroticism and Conscientiousness scales. The alpha index for the Neuroticism and Conscientiousness scales was in the .70s for Extraversion scale in the .50s and for Openness and Agreeableness scales in the 40s. The scales evidenced validity across multiple criterions. The translation of the 16 items that yielded undifferentiated responses were revisited by a committee of three faculty members in psychology. The inventory was thereafter administered to a community sample of 320 (male 139, female, 181) who gained 2-3 points in mean scores over the student sample on Neuroticism and Conscientiousness scales. The normative data of the community sample are recommended to be used for every day applications of the inventory in Pakistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper focuses on the question whether hope mediates the effect of personality traits on life satisfaction. It is based on the assumption that the cognitive ability to perceive the possi­bility of reaching one's own personal goals is an important outcome of personality traits as well as a strong predictor of life satisfaction The research sample consisted of 451 secondary school and university students in Slovakia with mean age 20.02 years. Hope Scale (Snyder, 1995), Satis­faction with Life Scale (Diener et al., 1985), and NEO Five Factor Inventory (Costa, McCrae, 1992, Slovak version Ruisel, Halama, 2007) were used to measure the defined characteristics. The results showed that hope acts as a partial mediator between neuroticism, conscientiousness and life satisfaction, and a full mediator between extraversion and life satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Personality prototypes based on the Big Five factor model were investigated in a treatment-seeking sample of 68 individuals with compulsive buying (CB). Cluster analysis of the NEO Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI) scales yielded two distinct personality clusters. Participants in cluster II scored significantly higher than those in cluster I on neuroticism and lower on the other four personality traits. Subjects in cluster II showed higher severity of CB, lower degree of control over CB symptoms, and were more anxious, interpersonally sensitive and impulsive. Furthermore, cluster II was characterized by higher rates of comorbid anxiety disorders, and cluster B personality disorders. The two personality prototypes did not differ with respect to obsessive–compulsive features. Finally and of considerable clinical significance, participants in cluster II reported lower remission rates after undergoing cognitive-behavioral therapy. Implications of the results for treatment are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Normal personality and psychopathology have traditionally been conceptualized as separate or distinct areas of inquiry. However recent research exploring the hierarchical nature of personality traits suggests the possibility of integrating findings across these domains. This study used the Personality Assessment Inventory () and NEO-Personality Inventory-Revised () to investigate the joint factor structure of normal personality and psychopathology. Factor analysis revealed a well defined three factor structure with scales from both instruments having prominent loadings on all the factors. The first joint PAI–NEO factor was marked by Neuroticism, Anxiety, Depression and Borderline Personality traits, the second factor had negative loadings for Agreeableness and Conscientiousness and positive loadings for Drug Abuse and Antisocial Personality traits. The third joint factor had positive loadings for Extraversion, Openness and Mania plus a secondary negative loading for Depression. The joint PAI–NEO factor structure bore a clear resemblance to the Big Three model of personality traits depicted in personality hierarchy. While preliminary the current findings suggest that normal personality and psychopathology may share a common latent structure and their shared structure may integrate into the broader hierarchy of personality traits. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In order to examine the relationship between broad personality traits and learning approaches, 852 university students completed the NEO-FFI [Costa, P. T., Jr., & McCrae, R. R. (1992). Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI-R) and NEO Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI): Professional manual. Odessa, FL: Psychological Assessment Resources] and SPQ [Biggs, J. B. (1987). The Study Process Questionnaire manual. Victoria: Australian Council for Educational Research], which assess personality and learning approaches, respectively. Seven previous studies were used to generate hypotheses on the relationship between these two measures, but only the positive link between Openness to Experience and Deep learning was supported by both correlational and structural equation modelling tests. Openness was also found to be negatively linked to Surface learning, but other Big Five traits were not saliently associated with learning approaches. Results indicate that the overlap between learning approaches and personality traits is lower than previously suggested. Implications are discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The Five Factor Model (FFM) traits of agreeableness and extraversion are rotational equivalents of the interpersonal circumplex (IPC) dimensions of affiliation and control. Given that the NEO-PI-R is a widely used measure of the FFM, availability of IPC dimension scales within this inventory could facilitate integration of FFM and interpersonal perspectives. In a study of 301 married couples, we evaluated an IPC scoring system for the NEO-PI-R () comprising 6-item octant scales and composites representing control and affiliation. The octant scales demonstrated expected circular structure. Octant and dimension scales demonstrated convergent and discriminant validity, in analyses of self-report and spouse-rating versions of this IPC measure and the Impact Message Inventory. Further, extraversion corresponded to friendly dominance in the IPC and agreeableness to submissive friendliness. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Fifty items from Goldberg's International Personality Item Pool were compiled to form a public-domain measure of personality, the Australian Personality Inventory (API). Data from a random community sample (N = 7615) and a university-based sample (N = 271) were used to explore psychometric properties of this 50-item measure of the five-factor model of personality (FFM). In both samples, internal reliabilities were adequate. In the university-based sample an appropriate pattern of convergent and divergent relationship was found between scale scores and domain scores from the NEO Five-Factor Inventory. After adjusting for an apparent response set (mean response across items), exploratory factor analyses clearly retrieved the FFM in both samples. It is provisionally concluded that raw scale scores from the API provide reliable estimates of the FFM, but adjustment for mean response across the 50 items might clarify the five-factor structure, especially in less educated samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A well-studied index of reasoning and decision making is the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT). The IGT possesses many features important to medical decision making, such as weighing risks and benefits, dealing with unknown outcomes, and making decisions under uncertainty. There exists a great deal of individual variability on the IGT, particularly among older adults, and the present study examines the role of personality in IGT performance. We explored which of the five-factor model of personality traits were predictive of decision-making performance, after controlling for relevant demographic variables. One hundred and fifty-two healthy cognitively intact adults (aged 26–85) were individually administered the IGT and the NEO Five-Factory Inventory. In the older adults, but not the younger, higher NEO neuroticism was associated with poorer IGT performance. Our findings are discussed in the context of how stress may impact cognitive performance and cause dysfunction of neural systems in the brain important for decision making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim. Mixed episodes (MS) and rapid cycling (RC) belong to severe and destabilizing features of the bipolar affective disorder (BD) and make serious risk factors for suicide and poor long-term prognosis. Personality may determine the course and clinical expression of mood disorders. The objective of this study was to assess the personality traits in patients with or without mixed state (MS) and with and without rapid cycling (RC). Material and methods. 108 euthymic bipolar patients (32 with MS and 28 with RC) were assessed with the use of NEO -- five-factor inventory (NEO-FFI). Ratings were correlated with the clinical data of the course of BD. Results. Neuroticism was found to be significantly higher in patients with MS as compared to those without MS history. No difference in personality measures was revealed between patients with or without RC. Limitations. The results are limited mainly by the relatively small sample size, and also by the lack of control group of healthy individuals. It would be good to test the conclusions in other institutions. Conclusions. The results obtained suggest that high neuroticism in bipolar patients, measured by NEO-FFI, may be associated with a predisposition to mixed state but not to rapid cycling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]