Longitudinal relationships between personality disorder dimensions and depression in a community sample

Understanding the associations between personality traits and mental health in people with epilepsy and healthy controls

Objectives

The aim of the current study was to test how epilepsy could moderate the associations between Big Five personality traits and mental health.

Methods

This cross-sectional study analyzed data from Understanding Society: UK Household Longitudinal (UKHLS), which relies on a complex multi-stage stratified sampling design. Personality traits were measured by the Big Five inventory whereas mental health where measured by the GHQ-12. A hierarchical regression and two multiple regressions were performed on 334 people with epilepsy with a mean age of 45.14 ± 15.88 years old (41.32% males) and 26,484 healthy controls (42.5% males) with a mean age of 48.71 ± 17.04 years old.

Results

Neuroticism was positively related to worse mental health in both people with epilepsy and healthy controls with a stronger relationship in people with epilepsy, but Conscientiousness was negatively related to worse mental health in both people with epilepsy and healthy controls. Moreover, Openness and Extraversion were negatively related to worse mental health in healthy controls but not in people with epilepsy.

Conclusion

Personality traits are closely related to mental health in both people with epilepsy and healthy controls. Clinicians should use findings from this study to detect people with epilepsy who may be at high risk of poor mental health based on their personality traits.

The associations between personality traits and mental health in people with and without asthma

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the current study is to investigate the associations between personality traits associated with mental health in people with asthma and compare it with people without asthma.

METHODS

Data came from UKHLS with 3929 patients with asthma with a mean age of 49.19 (S.D. = 15.23) years old (40.09 % males) and 22,889 healthy controls (42.90 % males) with a mean age of 45.60 (S.D. = 17.23) years old. First, the current study investigated the difference in Big Five personality traits and mental health between people with and without asthma using a predictive normative modeling approach with one-sample t-tests. Second, a hierarchical regression accompanied by two multiple regressions was used to determine how personality traits may relate to people with and without asthma differently.

RESULTS

The current study found asthma patients have significantly higher Neuroticism, higher Openness, lower Conscientiousness, higher Extroversion, and worse mental health. Asthma status significantly moderated the association between Neuroticism and mental health with this relationship being stronger in people with asthma. Moreover, Neuroticism was positively related to worse mental health and Conscientiousness and Extraversion were negatively associated with worse mental health in people with and without asthma. However, Openness was negatively associated with worse mental health in people without asthma but not in people with asthma.

LIMITATIONS

The limitations of the current study include cross-sectional designs, self-reported measured, and limited generalizability to other countries.

CONCLUSION

Clinicians and health professionals should use findings from the current study to come up with prevention and interaction programs that promote mental health based on personality traits in asthma patients.

The effect of dancing interventions on depression symptoms, anxiety, and stress in adults without musculoskeletal disorders: An integrative review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

To examine the effect of dancing interventions on depression symptoms, anxiety, and stress in adults with and without musculoskeletal disorders, and to determine the duration of the effectiveness of a dancing intervention.

METHODS

Five electronic databases, CINAHL, MEDLINE, SPORTDiscus, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), and PsycINFO were searched from January 2010 to March 2021. Data were extracted for a quality synthesis and meta-analysis, and GRADEpro software was used to rate the quality of evidence.

RESULTS

Twenty-eight randomized controlled trials involving 2249 eligible subjects were selected. They were found to be of satisfactory quality (fair n = 12, good n = 16). These studies revealed that dance interventions had a significant effect on relieving depression symptoms (SMD = -0.69, 95 % CI -0.91 to -0.35, p < 0.001), anxiety (SMD = -0.99, 95 % CI = -1.92 to -0.05, p < 0.05), and stress (SMD = -1.0, 95 % CI = -1.83 to -0.17, p < 0.05). Exposure to a dancing intervention for at least 150 min per week was found to have reduced depression symptoms (SMD = -0.72, 95 % CI -0.20, -0.25, p < 0.01). The quality of evidence ranged from very low to low.

CONCLUSIONS

This review indicates that dancing interventions significantly reduce depression symptoms, stress, and anxiety; and adults with or without musculoskeletal disorders would benefit from engaging in a dancing intervention for at least 150 min per week. Dancing interventions are recommended to be incorporated in health promotion activities to promote psychological wellbeing.