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Cited by 96Personality Traits and PsychologyGenetic Associations and EpidemiologyChild and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development

Neuroticism, life events and mental health: Evidence for person-environment correlation

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Van Os, Jim, Park, S. B. G., Jones, Peter B.·2001·British Journal of Psychiatry
DOI 10.1192/bjp.178.40.s72
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Abstract

BACKGROUND: There is some evidence that genetic effects on the likelihood of experiencing stressful life events (SLEs) are mediated by heritable traits such as cognitive ability (CA) and neuroticism (N). AIMS: To examine whether the association between CA, N and mental ill-health is driven in part by a predisposition to experience depressogenic SLEs. METHOD: Childhood measures of N and CA were available in a birth cohort of 5362 individuals. At ages 36 and 43 years, mental state and occurrence of SLEs in the previous year were assessed. Using a path-analytic approach, models with and without a hypothesised influence of N and CA on the occurrence of SLEs were compared. RESULTS: The fit of the model with childhood N having a direct influence on SLEs was good with chi 2 = 5.72, d.f. = 4, P = 0.22 at age 36 years and chi 2 = 3.50, d.f. = 5, P = 0.62 at age 43. The fit of the model was significantly worse without this path at both ages (36 years: chi 2 = 42.5, d.f. = 1, P < 0.001; 43 years chi 2 = 15.3, d.f. = 1, P < 0.001). No consistent differences were seen in comparisons of models with CA. CONCLUSIONS: The results are congruent with the suggestion that genetic effects on SLEs are mediated by personal characteristics. Part of the well-established association between N and minor psychiatric disorder may be mediated by an indirect effect of N on the likelihood of experiencing SLEs.

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  • Individuals who worry more, who are more socially isolated, and receive less social support are more likely to develop mental health problems.

    “They are further in line with studies showing those individuals who worry more [39], who are more socially isolated [40], and receive less social support [41, 42] are more likely to develop mental health problems.”

    From Students under lockdown: Comparisons of students’ social networks and mental health before and during the COVID-19 crisis in Switzerland (2020) · cites this paper as [39]

    The model table (section labeled CONCLUSION; page unavailable) reports an association between neuroticism and adult mental health. The cited paper measures neuroticism, however, rather than worry specifically, so it does not directly establish the claim about individuals who worry more. The social-isolation and social-support clauses have separate citations and are not attributed to this source. (LLM, conf=0.82)

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Authors
Van Os, J., Park, S. B. G., & Jones, P. B.
Affiliations
Maastricht University (NL)
ORCID
Jones, Peter B.
Venue
British Journal of Psychiatry
Publisher
Royal College of Psychiatrists
Published
2001-04
Volume
178
Issue
S40
Pages
s72-s77
ISSN
  • 0007-1250 (ISSN-L)
  • 1472-1465
DOI
10.1192/bjp.178.40.s72
OpenAlex
W2110998247
Cited by
96
References
79
Citations by year
2025: 2 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 7 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 4 · 2013: 4 · 2012: 1
FWCI
6.20
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
www.cambridge.org/core/terms (unspecified, 6120 d)
Locations
  • The British Journal of Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
Medical Research Council
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Personality Traits and Psychology
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Genetic Associations and Epidemiology
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
Keywords
neuroticism, life events, mental illness, cognitive ability, genetic mediation, child personality, depressive symptoms, birth cohort
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adult, Child, Cognition, Data Interpretation, Statistical, Female, Humans, Life Change Events, Male, Mental Health, Neurotic Disorders, Personality, Reading, Risk Factors, Cohort Studies

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