Investigating the Role of Personality Traits on the Mental Health of the Residents of China: How Effective is the BIG Five?

Abstract

Objectives: This study aims to investigate the influence of personality traits in determining the mental health of Chinese residents. To reflect the personality characteristic, a questionnaire survey has been designed with the components of agreeableness, conscientiousness, openness to experience, extraversion, and emotional stability. In addition, anxiety and depression have been mirrored in anxiety and depression items. China's diverse community members were surveyed through an online questionnaire.Methods: Smart PLS has been used to apply both measurement and structural models to empirical estimations. The measurement model's results demonstrate its reliability, convergent validity, and discriminant validity. On the other hand, the SEM method yields fruitful results. Results: It is noticed that agreeableness, consciousness, emotional stability, and openness to experience have a considerable effect on responders' mental health. Nevertheless, the negative and significant coefficients of agreeableness, emotional stability, and openness to experience indicate that they lessen mental distress and sadness. Still, conscientiousness harms these cognitive difficulties. Conclusion: These findings imply that an environment of openness to experience, emotional stability, and agreeableness must be fostered to reduce mental tension and anxiety. In addition, this work addresses a few constraints and future initiatives.