By: MEHRUN NISA
BACKGROUND
This research aimed to examine the association between the personality trait of neuroticism in adolescence, taking into account potential confounding factors.
INTRODUCTION
Neuroticism, as a fundamental trait of general personality, refers to an enduring tendency or disposition to experience negative emotional states. Individuals who score high on neuroticism are more likely than the average person to experience such feelings as anxiety, anger, guilt, and depression. They respond poorly to environmental stress, are likely to interpret ordinary situations as threatening, and can experience minor frustrations as hopelessly overwhelming. They are often self-conscious and shy, and they may have trouble controlling urges and impulses when feeling upset. Neuroticism is now recognized as one of the more reliably identified and fundamental domains of personality functioning and structure. Individuals in the population vary markedly on this trait, ranging from frequent and intense emotional reactions to minor challenges to little emotional reactions even in the face of significant difficulties. Although not widely appreciated, there is growing evidence that neuroticism is a psychological trait of profound public health significance. Neuroticism is a robust correlate and predictor of many different mental and physical disorders, comorbidity among them, and the frequency of mental and general health service use. Indeed, neuroticism is a predictor of the quality and longevity of our lives.
ORIGIN
Historically, neuroticism has been viewed as a stable, genetically based trait. However, a recent understanding of ongoing gene-environment interactions throughout the lifespan suggests a more complex and dynamic etiology.
PREVALENCE AND CAUSES
Neuroticism is the trait disposition to experience negative effects, including anger, anxiety, self-consciousness, irritability, emotional instability, and depression. Clinically significant episodes of anxiety and depressed mood states will often represent an interaction of the trait or temperament of neuroticism with a life stressor. Neuroticism is comparably associated with a wide array of physical maladies, such as cardiac problems, disrupted immune functioning, asthma, atopic eczema, irritable bowel syndrome, and even increased risk for mortality. The relationship of neuroticism to physical problems is both direct and indirect, in that neuroticism provides a vulnerability for the development of these conditions, as well as a disposition to exaggerate their importance and a failure to respond effectively to their treatment. Neuroticism is also associated with a diminished quality of life, including feelings of ill will, excessive worry, occupational failure, and marital dissatisfaction. High levels of neuroticism will contribute to poor work performance due to emotional preoccupation, exhaustion, and distraction.
TREATMENT AND PREVENTION
Given the contribution of neuroticism to so many negative life outcomes, it has been recommended that the general population be screened for clinically significant levels of neuroticism during routine medical visits. Screening in the absence of available treatment would be problematic. However, neuroticism is responsive to pharmacologic intervention.
Pharmacotherapy can and does effectively lower levels of the personality trait of neuroticism. Barlow et al. have also developed an empirically validated cognitive-behavioral treatment of neuroticism, called the Unified Protocol (UP). They have suggested that current psychological treatments have become overly specialized, focusing on disorders and specific symptoms. The UP was designed to be transdiagnostic.
CONCLUSION
Relationships with parents, mental and physical health, and the frequency of doing sports and physical activity were identified as factors influencing levels of neuroticism. The highest mean of the neuroticism trait was found for respondents related to poor relationships with parents (0.92 standard deviations above the mean), for respondents who feel ill or not at ease (0.85 standard deviations above the mean), and for respondents who do sport only occasionally or not at all (0.48 standard deviation above the mean). Students need to participate in physical activities. Such participation has a positive effect on the physical aspect of a person, but also social and mental stability. Frequency of weekly sports activities, health, and how the respondent currently feels explain 19.6% and 25.5% of the variability in neuroticism levels for males and females, respectively.
REFERENCES
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Barlow, D. H., Ellard, K. K., Sauer-Zavala, S., Bullis, J. R., & Carl, J. R. (2014). The origins of neuroticism. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 9(5), 481-496.
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