Association between the Five Factor personality traits and perceived stress: is the effect mediated by general self-efficacy?
Abstract
Ill-health resulting from chronic stress is influenced by personality traits leading to different ways of appraising and coping with life's daily hassles. Using a large population sample the study aimed to investigate possible associations between perceived stress and the personality dimensions of neuroticism, extroversion, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness, and to explore the role of general self-efficacy (GSE). A population-based cross-sectional study was conducted at the Research Centre for Prevention and Health, Denmark, in 2006-2008. Men and women (N=3471) aged 18-69, were randomly sampled in the suburbs of Copenhagen. We used the NEO Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI), Cohen's Perceived Stress Scale and the General Self-Efficacy Scale. Negative associations were found between perceived stress and extroversion, conscientiousness, agreeableness, and openness - the latter initially non-significant - whilst neuroticism had a positive association. The associations with agreeableness and openness became positive and significant, respectively, when GSE was included. All five personality-stress models were mediated by GSE, with extroversion and conscientiousness having the strongest mediating effect. The strongest stress-association was found for neuroticism. GSE was shown to change the impact and interpretation of the personality dimensions on perceived stress. These results indicate that GSE is an important factor to consider in the link between personality and perceived stress.
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Neuroticism represents a reduced capacity to effectively regulate negative emotions.
“In this line, neuroticism represents a reduced capacity to effectively regulate negative emotions”
From Adolescent Loneliness and Negative Affect during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Role of Extraversion and Neuroticism (2023) · cites this paper as Ebstrup et al., 2011
Extraversion is linked to a tendency to perceive challenging situations as manageable and to manage such situations more effectively through appropriate emotion regulation and coping strategies.
“Extraversion is also linked to a tendency to perceive challenging situations as manageable (Ebstrup et al., 2011), and to actually manage such situations more effectively through the use of appropriate emotion regulation and coping strategies”
From Adolescent Loneliness and Negative Affect during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Role of Extraversion and Neuroticism (2023) · cites this paper as Ebstrup et al., 2011
The combination of low extraversion and low conscientiousness or low agreeableness contributed to the high stress group.
“The combination of low extraversion and low conscientiousness or low agreeableness contributed to the high stress group; these directions of the associations in our analysis were consistent with prior work [67].”
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“Extraversion is also linked to a tendency to perceive challenging situations as manageable (Ebstrup et al., 2011), and to actually manage such situations more effectively through the use of appropriate emotion regulation and coping strategies (Barańczuk, 2019).”
Background
- Authors
- Ebstrup, J. F., Eplov, L. F., Pisinger, C., & Jørgensen, T.
- Corresponding author
- Ebstrup, Jeanette Frost
- Venue
- Anxiety, Stress & Coping
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2011-07
- Volume
- 24
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 407-419
- ISSN
- 1061-5806 (ISSN-L)
- 1477-2205
- OpenAlex
- W2127120252
- Cited by
- 359
- References
- 37
- Citations by year
- 2026: 15 · 2025: 20 · 2024: 24 · 2023: 29 · 2022: 42 · 2021: 41 · 2020: 32 · 2019: 19 · 2018: 25 · 2017: 27 · 2016: 19 · 2015: 22 · 2014: 15 · 2013: 17 · 2012: 10
- FWCI
- 10.16
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Anxiety Stress & Coping (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Research at the University of Copenhagen (University of Copenhagen) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Personality Traits and Psychology
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Personality Disorders and Psychopathology
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Psychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction
- Keywords
- Big Five personality traits, perceived stress, general self-efficacy, neuroticism, extraversion, conscientiousness, agreeableness, openness to experience, mediation, chronic stress
- MeSH terms
- Adaptation, Psychological, Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Character, Cross-Sectional Studies, Denmark, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Neurotic Disorders, Personality Inventory, Risk Factors, Stress, Psychological, Cohort Studies, Self Efficacy, Young Adult
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