Research Impact: This study examined interrelations between the Big 5 personality factors (i.e., neuroticism, extroversion, openness, conscientiousness, and agreeableness), physical activity, and generalized anxiety disorder among older adults. It found that 1) extraversion, openness, and conscientiousness were positively associated with physical activity 2) neuroticism was positively, and extraversion, conscientiousness and physical activity inversely, associated with GAD, and 3) a small amount of the effects of extraversion and conscientiousness on GAD were due to mediation by physical activity. Personality screening may help to identify older adults at-risk of anxiety who would benefit from participation in physical activity interventions.
McDowell CP, Wilson KE, Monroe DC, McCrory C, Kenny RA, Herring MP (2020). Personality, physical activity, and incident generalized anxiety disorder: findings from The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing. Journal of Affective Disorders, 277:46-52. (IF: 3.892; C=; Q1 Clinical Neurology; R=50/204) DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2020.07.124
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