Big-five Personality Traits and Depression: Chain Mediation of Self-efficacy and Walking

Overview

Journal Front Psychiatry

Specialty Psychiatry

Date 2024 Dec 16

PMID 39676915

Authors

Han Cai

Hongtao Song

Yating Yang

Zihe Xiao

Xianlong Zhang

Feng Jiang

Huanzhong Liu

Yi-Lang Tang

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Depression is a major global public health concern, with research indicating a correlation between personality traits and depression. This study aimed to explore the potential mediating roles of self-efficacy and walking in the relationship between personality traits and depression among Chinese residents.

Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted from July 10 to September 15, 2021, involving 11,031 Chinese residents across 23 provinces, 5 autonomous regions, and 4 municipalities Participants provided data on demographics, personality traits (using the Ten-Item Personality Inventory), self-efficacy (using the New General Self-Efficacy Scale), chronic disease self-management (using the Chronic Disease Self-Management Study Measures), and depression (using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9). After screening, data from 8,499 participants were analyzed. Sequential mediation models were employed, with the Big Five personality traits as predictors, depression as the outcome, and self-efficacy and walking as the mediators.

Results: Extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and emotional stability were negatively correlated with depression, with self-efficacy and walking as positive mediators in these relationships. Conversely, openness was positively associated with depression, and the self-efficacy-walking chain did not mediate this relationship but rather masked the effect of openness on depression.

Conclusions: Our findings suggest that self-efficacy and walking are significant mediators in the relationship between personality traits and depression, potentially mitigating the risk of depressive episodes.

References

Caprara G, Alessandri G, Di Giunta L, Panerai L, Eisenberg N . The Contribution of Agreeableness and Self-efficacy Beliefs to Prosociality. Eur J Pers. 2010; 24(1):36-55. PMC: 2893740. DOI: 10.1002/per.739. View

Valerio M, Blasco B, Tagni F, Szmulewicz A, Martino D . Personality Disturbances in Melancholic and Nonmelancholic Unipolar Major Depression: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. J Nerv Ment Dis. 2020; 208(10):810-817. DOI: 10.1097/NMD.0000000000001212. View

Siu A, Chan C, Poon P, Chui D, Chan S . Evaluation of the chronic disease self-management program in a Chinese population. Patient Educ Couns. 2006; 65(1):42-50. PMC: 7135159. DOI: 10.1016/j.pec.2006.04.013. View

Goldberg L . An alternative "description of personality": the big-five factor structure. J Pers Soc Psychol. 1990; 59(6):1216-29. DOI: 10.1037//0022-3514.59.6.1216. View

Oancea R, Timar B, Papava I, Cristina B, Ilie A, Dehelean L . Influence of depression and self-esteem on oral health-related quality of life in students. J Int Med Res. 2020; 48(2):300060520902615. PMC: 7111024. DOI: 10.1177/0300060520902615. View

Nasti C, Sangiuliano Intra F, Palmiero M, Brighi A . The relationship between personality and bullying among primary school children: the mediation role of trait emotion intelligence and empathy. Int J Clin Health Psychol. 2022; 23(2):100359. PMC: 9709235. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijchp.2022.100359. View

Huprich S . Personality-driven depression: The case for malignant self-regard (and depressive personalities). J Clin Psychol. 2019; 75(5):834-845. DOI: 10.1002/jclp.22760. View

Farley H . Promoting self-efficacy in patients with chronic disease beyond traditional education: A literature review. Nurs Open. 2019; 7(1):30-41. PMC: 6917929. DOI: 10.1002/nop2.382. View

Kekalainen T, Terracciano A, Sipila S, Kokko K . Personality traits and physical functioning: a cross-sectional multimethod facet-level analysis. Eur Rev Aging Phys Act. 2020; 17(1):20. PMC: 7685629. DOI: 10.1186/s11556-020-00251-9. View

10.

Tinaz S, Elfil M, Kamel S, Aravala S, Louis E, Sinha R . Goal-directed behavior in individuals with mild Parkinson's disease: Role of self-efficacy and self-regulation. Clin Park Relat Disord. 2021; 3. PMC: 8189568. DOI: 10.1016/j.prdoa.2020.100051. View

11.

Liao A, Walker R, Carmody T, Cooper C, Shaw M, Grannemann B . Anxiety and anhedonia in depression: Associations with neuroticism and cognitive control. J Affect Disord. 2019; 245:1070-1078. PMC: 9667857. DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2018.11.072. View

12.

Vittengl J, Clark L, Thase M, Jarrett R . Stability and Change in Relations Between Personality Traits and the Interpersonal Problems Circumplex During Cognitive Therapy for Recurrent Depression. Assessment. 2021; 29(6):1158-1171. DOI: 10.1177/10731911211005183. View

13.

Kekalainen T, Terracciano A, Tirkkonen A, Savikangas T, Hanninen T, Neely A . Does Personality Moderate the Efficacy of Physical and Cognitive Training Interventions? A 12-month Randomized Controlled Trial in Older Adults. Pers Individ Dif. 2023; 202. PMC: 9912828. DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2022.111957. View

14.

Ramasubbu R, McAusland L, Chopra S, Clark D, Bewernick B, Kiss Z . Personality changes with subcallosal cingulate deep brain stimulation in patients with treatment-resistant depression. J Psychiatry Neurosci. 2021; 46(4):E490-E499. PMC: 8519494. DOI: 10.1503/jpn.210028. View

15.

Hao R, Jiao J, Liu X, Zuo J, Jin H, Wu Y . The effects of big five personality traits on sub-health in a Chinese young adults: A moderated mediation model. J Affect Disord. 2024; 358:335-341. DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2024.03.142. View

16.

Pentland V, Spilsbury S, Biswas A, Mottola M, Paplinskie S, Mitchell M . Does Walking Reduce Postpartum Depressive Symptoms? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. J Womens Health (Larchmt). 2021; 31(4):555-563. DOI: 10.1089/jwh.2021.0296. View

17.

Wiencierz S, Williams L . Type D personality and physical inactivity: The mediating effects of low self-efficacy. J Health Psychol. 2016; 22(8):1025-1034. DOI: 10.1177/1359105315622557. View

18.

Tao Y, Liu X, Hou W, Niu H, Wang S, Ma Z . The Mediating Role of Emotion Regulation Strategies in the Relationship Between Big Five Personality Traits and Anxiety and Depression Among Chinese Firefighters. Front Public Health. 2022; 10:901686. PMC: 9205204. DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.901686. View

19.

Lee L, Avis M, Arthur A . The role of self-efficacy in older people's decisions to initiate and maintain regular walking as exercise -- Findings from a qualitative study. Prev Med. 2007; 45(1):62-5. DOI: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2007.04.011. View

20.

Fors Connolly F, Johansson Seva I . Agreeableness, extraversion and life satisfaction: Investigating the mediating roles of social inclusion and status. Scand J Psychol. 2021; 62(5):752-762. DOI: 10.1111/sjop.12755. View