Gender difference in the relationship between personality traits and changes in depressive symptoms before and after the COVID-19 outbreak: A follow-up study among Chinese adults.
J Affect Disord
; 326: 49-56, 2023 04 01.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-2210611
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES:
Increasing depressive symptoms have become an urgent public health concern worldwide. This study aims to explore the correlation between personality traits and changes in depressive symptoms before and after the COVID-19 outbreak and to examine the gender difference in this association further.METHODS:
Data were obtained from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS, wave in 2018 and 2020). A total of 16,369 residents aged 18 and above were included in this study. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was used to examine whether personality traits were associated with changes in depressive symptoms. We also analyzed whether there was an interaction effect of gender and personality traits on depressive symptoms.RESULTS:
Conscientiousness, extroversion, and agreeableness are negatively associated with depressive symptoms, while neuroticism and openness are positively related. Gender moderates the relationship between personality traits and depressive symptoms. Compared to men, women have demonstrated a stronger association between neuroticism (OR = 0.79; 95 % CI = 0.66, 0.94), conscientiousness (OR = 1.40; 95 % CI = 1.15, 1.69), and persistent depressive symptoms.LIMITATIONS:
Given its longitudinal study design, it is insufficient to draw a causal inference between personality traits and depressive symptoms.CONCLUSION:
Personality traits and their various dimensions are correlated with changes in depressive symptoms. Persistent depressive symptoms are positively related to neuroticism and negatively associated with conscientiousness. Women demonstrate a stronger association between personality traits and persistent depressive symptoms. Thus, in Chinese adults' mental health intervention and prevention programs, personality and gender-specific strategies should be considered, especially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Depression
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Cohort study
/
Experimental Studies
/
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
Topics:
Long Covid
Limits:
Adult
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
Language:
English
Journal:
J Affect Disord
Year:
2023
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
J.jad.2023.01.085
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