Stability and change in psychological distress and their relationship with self-esteem and locus of control: a dynamic equilibrium model

The proposed model assumes (a) that each person has a stable and characteristic symptom level, (b) that external events act to deflect symptom levels from this stable level, and (c) that adaptive mechanisms tend to normalize these deviations. The model is used to examine (a) the dynamics of psychological distress (PD), (b) the role of personality traits (i.e., self-esteem and locus of control), and (c) the contamination of these traits by the current level of PD. The analyses show that the structural model adequately fits data of 2 longitudinal community studies. Two thirds of the variance in distress could be attributed to differences in stable symptom levels, leaving 1/3 for environmental change agents. Both personality traits were substantially contaminated by PD levels. Finally, high symptom levels were strongly related to low self-esteem and external control. The applications of the model and the origins of stability and change in PD are discussed.     

Associations between procrastination,personality, perfectionism,self-esteem and locus of control

To date, many variables but particularly trait-like psychological constructs have been found to strongly contribute to procrastination but the complex relations among these variables collectively have received almost no attention. The purpose of the study was to provide a more profound understanding of the relations between procrastination, perfectionism, big five personality, locus of control and self-esteem. Young adults (162 women, 80 men: M?=?20.98) completed measures of academic procrastination, self-esteem, big five personality, perfectionism and locus of control. Parental criticism was a significant correlate of procrastination, while personality traits of conscientiousness, agreeableness and organisation were inversely associated with procrastination behaviour. These findings suggest that personality-based intervention approaches with the inclusion of family can be more influential in procrastination prevention and treatment.     

Personality factors and posttraumatic stress: associations in civilians one year after air attacks

There is an ongoing debate on which risk factors for developing posttraumatic stress symptoms are more important--personality traits reflecting vulnerability, previous stressful experiences or characteristics of the traumatic event. In this study, posttraumatic stress symptoms and their relationship with personality traits, previous stressful experiences and exposure to stressful events during air attacks in Yugoslavia were investigated. The Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory (MCMI; Millon, 1983), Impact of Events Scale (IES; Horowitz, Wilner, & Alvarez, 1979), Life Stressor Checklist Revised (LSCL-R; Wolfe & Kimerling, 1997), and List of Stressors were administered to a homogeneous group of medical students 1 year after the attacks. In multiple regression analyses, compulsive and passive-aggressive personality traits and a higher level of exposure to stressors during air attacks independently predicted the degree of intrusion symptoms. Avoidance symptoms were predicted by avoidant personality traits and a higher exposure to stressors both previously in life and during the attacks. In the next step, we tested in analyses of variance whether personality traits, previous stressful experiences, and stressful events during attacks as independent variables interact in predicting intrusion and avoidance symptoms. For this, students were clustered into three groups depending on their predominant personality traits. In addition to direct predictive effects, there were significant interaction effects in predicting both intrusion and avoidance. The findings suggest that each of the tested factors, i.e., personality traits, previous stressful experiences, and exposure to traumatic events may have an independent and direct influence on developing posttraumatic stress. However, the effect of these factors cannot just be added up. Rather, the factors interact in their impact on posttraumatic stress symptoms. Bigger samples and longitudinal designs will be required to understand precisely how different personality traits influence response to stressful events.     

Note on guilt appeals in advertising: covariate effects of self-esteem and locus of control.

A 1991 study by Pinto and Priest demonstrated the effectiveness of advertisements employing moderate levels of guilt in inducing guilt responses in subjects. Because individuals' responses to guilt are often influenced by their specific personality characteristics, researchers have pointed to the potential moderating effects of individual difference variables such as level of self-esteem and locus of control on individuals' susceptibility to guilt appeals. A study was conducted to evaluate the possibility that self-esteem and locus of control can act as covariates across three treatment levels of guilt advertising. From a sample of 57 working mothers, advertisements stimulating medium and high levels of guilt elicited significantly greater feelings of guilt in subjects than the control advertisement stimulating low guilt. However, the relationship between susceptibility to guilt appeals and self-esteem and locus of control was not observed to covary.     

Acceptance of cosmetic surgery: Personality and individual difference predictors

This study examined the association between several attitudinal constructs related to acceptance of cosmetic surgery, and participant demographics, personality, and individual difference variables. A sample of 332 university students completed a battery of scales comprising the Acceptance of Cosmetic Surgery Scale (ACSS) and measures of the Big Five personality factors, self-esteem, conformity, self-assessed attractiveness, and demographics. Multiple regressions showed that the predictor variables explained a large proportion of the variance in ACSS factors (Adj. R² ranging between .31 and .60). In addition, structural equation modelling revealed that distal factors (sex and age) were generally associated with acceptance of cosmetic surgery through the mediate influence of more proximate variables (in the first instance, the Big Five personality factors, followed by self-esteem and conformity, and finally self-assessed attractiveness). These results allow for the presentation of a preliminary model integrating personality and individual differences in predicting acceptance of cosmetic surgery.     

Sex Differences Among Personality Correlates of Mathematical Ability in High School Seniors

To help explain female inferiority in mathematical performance, sex differences in personality correlates of mathematical ability were examined. Three instruments, Rotter's I-E Scale, Miller Adult Locus of Evaluation Scale, and Byrd's Attitude Concerning Life and Self were administered to measure four personality factors: locus of control, locus of evaluation, identity confusion associated with resolution of the adolescent identity crisis, and self-esteem. Each personality score was correlated separately by sex with Scholastic Aptitude Test mathematical and verbal scores. The sample included 68 females and 63 males, randomly selected from college-bound seniors in a predominantly white, middle-class, suburban high school, chosen to limit the effects of social, economic, racial and educational differences. Two variables were partialed out for control purposes: number of mathematics courses completed and IQ Otis-Lennon Mental Ability Test. For females only, internal locus of control and self-esteem were significant correlates of mathematical ability, and were seen as facilitators of female mathematical functioning in the face of environmental impediments to female mathematical performance.     

The Measurement of Self-Esteem, Stress-Related Life Events, and Locus of Control Among Unemployed and Employed Blue-Collar Workers

The purpose of this study was to measure the self-esteem, stress of life events, and locus of control among unemployed and employed blue-collar workers. It was hypothesized that (a) being unemployed decreases an individual's self-esteem, (b) being unemployed increases an individual's stress level by experiencing significant life changes, and (c) being unemployed increases an individual's external locus of control orientation. The study was conducted in a production/manufacturing organization, utilizing a systematic random sampling procedure that yielded 562 subjects. The results from the collected data did not support Hypothesis A or C. A significant change with stress in conjunction with life events was found but was mediated by several factors, including age and a nonsignificant correlation between time laid-off and stress levels. The study suggests that an individual's reaction to unemployment does not appreciably affect their self-esteem and locus of control when compared to the employed.     

The role of personality and socio-economic status in the stress–illness relation: A longitudinal study

Although a wide variety of factors have been found to be related to health in some way, researchers on the subject of health generally fail to integrate findings of other research disciplines within their own line of research. This study has attempted to bring together two research disciplines: (a) research on personality and health, and (b) research on socio-economical differences in health. Personality factors as well as social class have been found to mediate the stress-illness relation. Based on empirical and theoretical considerations, we proposed a simple model for the occurrence and course of disease. The personality factors studied were neuroticism, locus of control, and self-esteem. Socio-economic status (SES) was represented by education level, occupation status, and income. Health was operationalized as the number of somatic diseases. The research questions were investigated (using t-tests andpath analysis) in a longitudinal set of data that were collected between 1970 and 1984 among 245 subjects in the normal population. Neuroticism appeared to be an important mediator of the stress-illness relation. Of the SES variables, occupation and education served as mediators; education was especially infuential on the course of disease. The role of neuroticism is discussed.     

Personality,Resilience, and Psychopathology: A Model for the Interaction between Slow and Fast Network Processes in the Context of Mental Health

Network theories have been put forward for psychopathology (in which mental disorders originate from causal relations between symptoms) and for personality (in which personality factors originate from coupled equilibria of cognitions, affect states, behaviours, and environments). Here, we connect these theoretical strands in an overarching personality–resilience–psychopathology model. In this model, factors in personality networks control the shape of the dynamical landscape in which symptom networks evolve; for example, the neuroticism item ‘I often feel blue’ measures a general tendency to experience negative affect, which is hypothesized to influence the threshold parameter of the symptom ‘depressed mood’ in the psychopathology network. Conversely, events at the level of the fast-evolving psychopathology network (e.g. a depressive episode) can influence the slow-evolving personality variables (e.g. by increasing feelings of worthlessness). We apply the theory to neuroticism and major depressive disorder. Through simulations, we show that the model can accommodate important phenomena, such as the strong relation between neuroticism and depression and individual differences in the change of neuroticism levels and development of depression over time. The results of the simulation are implemented in an online, interactive simulation tool. Implications for research into the relationship between personality and psychopathology are discussed. © 2020 The Authors. European Journal of Personality published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of European Association of Personality Psychology     

Adlerian Personality Priorities: Psychological and Attitudinal Differences

This study investigated the relationship between Adlerian personality priorities (pleasing, achieving, outdoing, detaching, avoiding) and several selected psychological and attitudinal variables theoretically linked to those priorities. Two hundred sixty-two undergraduate students completed measures of personality priority, locus of control, social interest, self-esteem, and dysfunctional attitudes. Results revealed significant differences between the various personality priorities on measures of self-esteem, social interest, internal locus of control, and dysfunctional attitudes. These findings lend empirical support for the use of personality priorities as a tool for conceptualizing clients. Implications for counseling practice and future research on personality priorities are presented.     

Determinants of early- vs late-onset dental fear in a longitudinal-epidemiological study.

A longitudinal investigation of risk factors for early- and late-onset dental fear was conducted. Early-onset dental fear was related to conditioning experiences (indexed via caries level and tooth loss), service use patterns, stress reactive personality and specific beliefs about health professionals. Late-onset dental fear was related to aversive conditioning experiences, irregular service use and an external locus of control. In contrast to recent findings for dental anxiety, personality factors were not strongly related to the onset of dental fear in young adulthood. The key role played by conditioning events in the development of both early- and late-onset dental fear was confirmed. Conditioning events appear to play a different role in the development of dental fear vs dental anxiety. This may reflect important, but largely ignored differences between these two closely-related constructs. Interventions for early-onset dental fear should aim to modify both the dental fear and the personality vulnerabilities that may contribute to the development of dental fear early in the life-course.     

Personality traits and cognitive styles as risk factors for serious suicide attempts among young people.

The contribution of a series of measures of personality and/or cognitive style to serious suicide attempt risk in young people was examined in a case-control study. Individuals making suicide attempts had elevated odds of hopelessness, neuroticism, introversion, low self-esteem, impulsiveness, and external locus of control. When allowance was made for intercorrelations between these measures, hopelessness, neuroticism, and external locus of control remained significant risk factors for serious suicide attempt; self-esteem, extraversion, and impulsiveness were not significantly associated with suicide attempt risk. Nonsignificant findings were explained by the presence of substantial correlations between these measures and measures of hopelessness, neuroticism, and external locus of control.     

人格特质对考试焦虑的影响:多重中介效应分析

目的:探讨自尊、惧怕负面评价及无法忍受不确定性在人格特质和考试焦虑间的中介作用。方法:采用人格问卷简式量表EPQ-RSC、Rosenberg自尊问卷、惧怕负面评价量表简表、无法忍受不确定性量表和考试焦虑量表测量410名在校高中生和大学生。结果:(1)相关分析表明,神经质、惧怕负面评价、无法忍受不确定性及考试焦虑之间彼此正相关显著;外向性与自尊正相关显著,与惧怕负面评价、无法忍受不确定性及考试焦虑等负相关显著;精神质与自尊、惧怕负面评价及考试焦虑等负相关显著;自尊与神经质、惧怕负面评价、无法忍受不确定性及考试焦虑负相关显著。(2)回归分析表明,人格特质中的神经质和精神质能显著预测考试焦虑,无法忍受不确定性在人格特质和考试焦虑之间起部分中介作用;结构方程模型分析结果显示,人格特质中神经质和精神质对考试焦虑的直接效应显著,经由自尊、惧怕负面评价和无法忍受不确定性对考试焦虑的间接效应也极为显著。结论:自尊、惧怕负面评价和无法忍受不确定性在人格特质与考试焦虑间起着中介作用。     

On the relationship of hardiness to the Type A behavior pattern: Perception of life events versus coping with life events

A correlational study examined the relationship between perceptions of life events and psychological distress with regard to the moderating effects of personality. Subjects assessed for both hardiness (S. C. Kobasa, 1979, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 37, 1–11) and Type A behavior (M. Friedman & R. Rosenman, 1974, Type A Behavior and Your Heart, New York: Knopf) completed the Langner psychiatric symptom inventory, reported life events for the previous year, and rated each event for its desirability, controllability, and foreseeability. Results indicated that an accumulation of events perceived as undesirable was associated with distress for subjects low in hardiness. In contrast, events perceived as moderately controllable or uncontrollable, regardless of their desirability, were associated with increased distress for Type A's. The likelihood of experiencing any given event was not related to any personality type. However, hardy individuals differed from their low hardy counterparts in that, on average, they were more likely to perceive an event as desirable and controllable. No such perceptual biases were observed between Type A and B subjects. The discussion focuses on the combination of personality variables and the moderating effects of perceiving events versus coping with events in the stress-health relationship.     

Psychological correlates of attitudes toward men

The relation between attitudes toward men and a number of personality, attitude, and health factors was studied. The 379 respondents (176 men, 203 women) completed the Attitudes Toward Men Scale (A. N. lazzo, 1983) and measures of the Big Five personality factors, conservatism, male bashing, attitudes toward women, sex role, locus of control, and health (including depression, anxiety, and self-esteem). A regression analysis using correlates of attitudes toward men indicated that, among women, femininity and self-esteem were important in predicting attitudes toward men. Among men, masculinity, self-esteem, and age were most important in predicting attitudes toward men.     

Narcissus locked in the past: Vulnerable narcissism and the negative views of the past

We examined how the perception of past events might contribute to the understanding of vulnerable narcissism. Across seven samples (N_Grand = 1271), we investigated the association between vulnerable narcissism and individual differences in negative view of the past as well as how both were associated with basic personality traits, intrapersonal (i.e., affect, life satisfaction, and self-esteem) and interpersonal (i.e., anger, and hostility) outcomes, and memory biases of immediate life events and early life traumas. We found that vulnerable narcissism was reliably correlated with a negative view of the past. Additionally, both variables showed similar personality profiles (e.g., high neuroticism) and overlapped in explaining various outcomes, including self-esteem, anger, hostility, recalled traumas, and a negative memory bias.     

Level of self-esteem and contingencies of self-worth: unique effects on academic, social, and financial problems in college students

The unique effects of level of self-esteem and contingencies of self-worth assessed prior to college on academic, social, and financial problems experienced during the freshman year were examined in a longitudinal study of 642 college students. Low self-esteem predicted social problems, even controlling for demographic and personality variables (neuroticism, agreeableness, and social desirability), but did not predict academic or financial problems with other variables controlled. Academic competence contingency predicted academic and financial problems and appearance contingency predicted financial problems, even after controlling for relevant personality variables. We conclude that contingencies of self-worth uniquely contribute to academic and financial difficulties experienced by college freshmen beyond level of self-esteem and other personality variables. Low self-esteem, on the other hand, appears to uniquely contribute to later social difficulties.     

青少年早期自尊与抑郁的交叉滞后分析：检验易感模型和创伤模型

本研究以初一年级598名青少年为研究对象,采用三年追踪设计,运用交叉滞后回归分析,控制变量的先前水平,旨在揭示青少年早期自尊与抑郁的相互影响,检验易感模型和创伤模型。结果发现,对于青少年样本总体来说,第一、二学年抑郁各自能显著负向预测第二、三学年自尊,支持创伤模型;同时第二学年自尊又能显著负向预测第三学年抑郁,支持易感模型。对于女生而言,其自尊与抑郁之间的关系与样本总体相同,既支持易感模型,又支持创伤模型;对于男生而言,仅发现其第二学年抑郁能显著负向预测第三学年自尊,支持创伤模型。这些结果表明青少年早期的自尊与抑郁存在双向的相互影响,易感模型和创伤模型同时起作用,而且这种影响存在显著的性别差异。     

The role of chance events in the school-to-work transition: The influence of demographic, personality and career development variables

Chance events are considered important in career development, yet little empirical research is available on their predictors and consequences. The present study investigated socio-demographic (gender, nationality, school-type), personality (openness, locus of control) and career development variables (career decidedness, career planning) in relation to perceived chance events with a retrospective (N = 229, eleventh grade), and 1-year longitudinal prospective study (N = 245, eighth/ninth grade) among Swiss adolescents. The results showed that the majority of both groups reported a significant influence of chance events on their transition from compulsory school to vocational education or high school. Importance of chance events related to socio-demographics and personality but not career preparation. Career preparation and chance events predicted subjective career success in terms of wish correspondence and overall satisfaction with transition outcome among the younger cohort. Implications include the necessity to integrate both thorough career preparation and chance events in theory and counseling practice.     

Self-esteem and proactive personality as predictors of future work self and career adaptability: An examination of mediating and moderating processes

Basing on career construction theory and self-verification theory, current research examined the mediating and moderating models for the relations among self-esteem, proactive personality, career exploration, future work self and career adaptability. A two-wave survey study was conducted among Chinese university students (N = 305). The results showed that both self-esteem and proactive personality (measured at time 1) positively predicted future work self and career adaptability (measured at time 2), with these relationships mediated by career exploration (measured at time 1). In addition, the results further revealed that the positive effect of self-esteem on career exploration was stronger among students who had a higher level of proactive personality. In support of the hypothesized moderated mediation model, for individuals with a higher level of proactive personality, the indirect effects of self-esteem on future work self and career adaptability through career exploration were stronger. These findings carry implications for research on career construction theory and career counseling practices.