Neurotic Personality is a Stress Inducer during COVID-19 among Adolescents with the Prediction of Anxiety and Depression

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Sijo Joseph and Rosalito De Guzman (The Graduate School, University of Santo Tomas, Philippines)

The most complex health-relevant personality trait, neuroticism involves a pattern of anxiety, worrying, moodiness, and propensity to experience negative affective states. It is also linked to increased exposure to stressful life events and increased susceptibility to the negative effects of stress. Adolescents especially who have neurotic personality traits were the victims of higher psychological distress due to confinement, social exclusion and reduced peer support during COVID-19. This has triggered a wide range of psychological distress among adolescents. This study aims to explore the correlation and prediction of neurotic personality and psychological distress among adolescents aged 15-19 during the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional predictive research method was used to collect data from adolescents in Kerala, India. BFI (Big Five Inventory), DASS-21 (Psychological Distress Scale), and PSS 10C (Perceived Stress Scale related to COVID) were used as measurement tools. The researcher recruited a sample of 300 adolescents from different schools in Kerala and assessed through these measurement tools. High Neuroticism was found in 24.17 % of the study sample of adolescents in Kerala, India. Psychological distress was found in 86 % of the adolescents in Kerala. These findings showed that neuroticism has a significant correlation with psychological distress during this pandemic among the adolescents and Neuroticism predicts 50 % of Psychological Distress and 73.4 % COVID19 Stress in the Kerala adolescents during COVID 19 pandemic. Conclusion: this study reveals that Neuroticism Personality trait significantly influences adolescent’s mental health and due to their negative affectivity and emotional instability they are more prone to Psychological Distress and worse to Stressors.